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	The Manchester Enterprise A Heritage Newspaper Weekly Publication

Residents go crazy for Kiwanis fund-raiser

Local woman Guenther outlasts odds, secures $5,000 raffle prize

By Daniel Lai, Editor

PUBLISHED: March 6, 2008

Photo by Daniel Lai Kiwanis Club member Tom Burch calls out raffle numbers to be eliminated during the Crazy Ca$h Night fund-raiser. The event raises money for groups and school programs.

The weekend weather didn't deter local residents from opening their wallets and their hearts for the ninth annual Kiwanis Club of Manchester's Crazy Ca$h Night fund-raiser.

"We were really happy with the turnout this year," club member Bill Schwab said. "Its exciting to see so many people come and support us throughout the night."

Schwab said roughly 312 people attended the event.

"This is just a wonderful thing for the community and so many people work together to make it happen," he said.

Though several thousand dollars worth of sideboard raffle prizes were awarded during the night, all eyes were on resident Beatty Guenther, who walked away with the $5,000 grand prize, and Bill Kerns, who garnered the $1,000 second place prize.

The biggest winners of the night were the various school district and non-profit groups that directly benefit from the raffle proceeds. This year's groups include: The Kiwanis Key Club, Manchester Community Schools Early Childhood Special Education Program, Manchester Athletic Boosters, Manchester Chamber of Commerce, Manchester Co-Op Preschool, Manchester District Library and the Riverfolk Music and Arts Organization, among others.

"We're always pleased with how the raffle turns out," Schwab said. "There are so many things we want to do for the community and this is by far one of our biggest fund-raisers."

In addition to the 40 Kiwanis members who ran the event, Schwab said several groups helped with decorating, ticket taking and other various committees.

"The entire night went smooth as silk," he said. "We had 75 volunteers helping out on all the committees."

Guests were also entertained by the Manchester High School Jazz Band during a buffet dinner catered by Dan's River Grill.

Schwab said the main income from the event was from the sale of 200 main board reverse raffle tickets and other in-house raffles as well as $3,925 in cash donations and $4,588 in merchandise donations from local businesses. The group also secured an additional $4,585 in in-kind donations.

Throughout the night, cash prizes totaling $11,357 and $4,588 in merchandise prizes were awarded to local residents, he said.

"It's a whole lot of money we give out by the end of the evening," Schwab said. "You have to be a raffle person or gambler to appreciate it."

Despite snowstorms in the area Friday night and early Saturday morning, Schwab said cold weather never deters participation in the event.

"I'm sure they would show up no matter if it snowed or not since they have invested their money into it," he said.

Editor Daniel Lai can be reached at 428-8173 or dlai@heritage.com.