Rotary Club of Waterville’s new Dine Around Town Raffle is a fundraising effort with a two-fold purpose. First, to support local restaurants in these challenging times and ultimately, to provide funds to purchase books for the Kennebec Valley Community Action Program’s Community Days program, according to a news release from the rotary.

With the pandemic placing limitations on availability of reading materials, these funds will help supply much-needed books to area school-aged children.

In rolling out the Dine Around Town Raffle program, Jeff Jolicoeur, Rotary Club of Waterville president, explained the importance of the initiative.

“Two of rotary’s primary areas of focus are basic literacy and economic development. During this pandemic, children from low-income families and local businesses have been particularly vulnerable. This raffle will allow the Rotary to purchase up to $3,000 worth of books from a local business (The Children’s Book Cellar) and get them into the hands of those most in need,” said Jolicoeur, according to the release.

Jolicoeur also said, “thanks to generous donations from Rotary Club of Waterville members, nearly $1,400 in gift certificates have been purchased as prizes for the raffle. The gift certificates are to be used in local restaurants to help support them through these unprecedented circumstances. Books purchased through the raffle will be distributed by KVCAP, Educare Central Maine, and Waterville Creates!”

Prize packages for the raffle include: First prize: $500 collection of gift certificates; Second prize: $250 collection of gift certificates; Five third prizes of a collection of cards valued at $100.

Tickets cost $5 each, or $20 for a book of five. Ticket sales end Friday, Nov. 27, with winners being drawn Monday, Nov. 30.

Tickets are available from area Rotary Club of Waterville members, or contact Jeff Melanson at jmelanson514@gmail.com or 207-314-0412.

 

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