By JEFF EPSTEIN
CLAREMONT – The tables are ready to go, laden with crafts, commercial products, stuffed dolls, knick-knacks, and anything else you can think of. Claire Lessard, executive director of the Claremont Senior Center, is ready to go. She’s been doing this Penny Sale for six years now, not counting the ones she previously organized at St. Mary’s Church. “It’s a lot of work,” Lessard smiles, “and it is a fun thing.”
The only thing that seems odd about the room is how empty it is, but it is a kind of calm before the storm. Lessard expects a full house, perhaps more than 100 people, when the Penny Sale happens on Sunday. People come from far away, not just from Claremont, to attend this annual event, she said.
The event is one of the center’s biggest fundraiser, on top of a car show, yard sale, and rentals of the large room for weddings, parties and other events. While expected to be successful, the Penny Sale will have 225 items this year, whereas “last year we had 250,” she said. Many merchants happily contribute items, but it takes a lot of volunteers to do the outreach, she explained.
Basically, a penny sale is a kind of hybrid of bingo and a raffle. Patrons can purchase tickets for a penny each, and then “bid” on desired items but placing a ticket in the tiny bucket in front of an item. A raffle drawing determines the winner of the item. Therefore, buying a lot of tickets, and placing multiple tickets in a bucket, increases the odds of winning that particular item.
In addition to the item drawings, the event includes a 50-50 raffle, door prizes and a food concession.
The event takes place Sunday at the Claremont Senior Center, 5 Acer Heights Road. Doors open at 11 a.m. Drawings will begin at 1 p.m. For more information, see the website, cnhcs.org.
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