COURTESY
NEWPORT — With only a few weeks to go Newport Rotary Club members are busy gathering prizes for the club’s 9th annual penny sale. This year’s Penny Sale will take place on Saturday May 11. Doors to the Newport Middle High School Gym will open at 5:30 p.m. and the first prize will be raffled at 6:30 p.m.. “Dan Cherry will emcee the event again this year, and we are grateful for his expertise as he sees to it that the evening moves rapidly with prizes being awarded every minute”, reported the event’s Co-Chair Bruce Jasper. “We’ve received staunch support from the community each time we have held a penny sale. This year is no exception. The public has always turned out to support our efforts and we’ve tried very hard to plan an event that was fun for everyone participating. At the same time, we are committed to raising funds for local and worldwide projects which is an important goal for all Rotary Clubs.”
“Rotary members have been busy contacting area businesses asking for their support for several weeks now. The business community has very generously supported our penny sales in the past by donating prizes that draw a sizeable crowd and this year will be no exception. In addition to the 300 prizes we will raffle that evening Rotary members are also selling tickets for a cash prize we will award as the finale that night. One thousand dollars will be raffled that evening as the first prize for this portion of the penny sale. A second prize of $500 will also be given away.” Jasper explained.
“Newport Community Center Building Fund, the Newport Police Department Cadet program and our own Teacher Mini Grant Projects are the primary beneficiaries of funds raised. In addition our Club provides two scholarships to graduating seniors each year, holds a pancake breakfast during the Winter Carnival, partners with the New London Rotary Club to deliver food baskets for Thanksgiving, supports the Willey Perra Christmas Program, rings the bell for the Salvation Army during the holiday season, as well as a host of other projects that support both our local community and Rotary International’s worldwide efforts.” Jasper continued.
Penny sales remain popular as they offer the public an opportunity to support a worthwhile cause and have an enjoyable evening that is affordable and family friendly. Rotary President Jan McMahon added, “We will draw three rounds of prizes Saturday evening and will give away 100 prizes in each round. Tickets cost $1 each, $5 for six, $10 for 12, and $20 for 25 and all tickets for each round will be placed in a tumbler. When a ticket is drawn the individual holding the ticket will win the prize for that numbered item and then the ticket is returned to the tumbler and is eligible to be drawn again.”
“We also have a swap table, so that if someone wins something they might not have a use for they can swap it out with another prize. That has added to the evening’s fun,” McMahon added.
In addition to the three rounds where 300 prizes will be given away, several large prizes will be drawn after the last round. Tickets from all three rounds will be placed back in the tumbler and large prizes will be drawn. Finally the cash prizes will be awarded. Tickets for the cash prizes are available now from any Rotary member and will be on sale throughout the evening of May 11. The price for those tickets is also $1 each, $5 for six tickets, $10 for 12 tickets, and $20 for 25 tickets.
“Businesses across the region support our efforts and we have a wide variety of prizes and sponsorships on hand already. Holding a penny sale means a lot of legwork for all of our Club members. However, the outcome is so beneficial to so many we feel it is definitely worth it” McMahon ended.
Thanks to our sponsors so far which are Sugar River Bank, the Eagle Times, Claremont Savings Bank, Summercrest, Curt Insurance, Cory Patten’s Auto and Truck Works, The Messenger, the Valley News and McCrillis & Eldredge Insurance.
Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 11, and the first prize will be drawn at 6:30 p.m. Refreshments will be on sale through the Newport Senior Center and all businesses contributing will be recognized that evening and will have their names on our Wall of Fame.
For more information about the penny sale visit Facebook at Rotary Club Newport or contact Bruce Jasper at [email protected] or at (603) 863-4105 or Tina Blythe at [email protected] or at 843-6255 or PO Box 333, Newport, NH 03773.
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