Waterville Rotary raffle supports restaurants, books for local kids

WATERVILLE — Rotary Club of Waterville’s new Dine Around Town Raffle is a fundraising effort with a two-fold purpose: to support local restaurants and to provide money to buy books for the Kennebec Valley Community Action Community Days program.
With the pandemic placing limitations on availability of reading materials, money raised 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, said, “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.
Jolicoeur said that Rotary members have donated nearly $1,400 in gift certificates for prizes for the raffle, which can be used at area restaurants. Books bought through the raffle will be distributed by KVCAP, Educare Central Maine and Waterville Creates!.
Prize packages for the raffle are: 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 are $5 each, or a book of five is $20. Tickets are on sale through Friday, Nov. 27, and available from area Rotary Club of Waterville members, or by contacting Jeff Melanson at jmelanson514@gmail.com or 207-314-0412.
Winners will be drawn on Monday, Nov. 30.