The Cochrane Kiwanis Club is hosting one of its first major funrdraisers this weekend with an inaugural Chase the Ace event on Sept. 28.
The novel fundraiser, which will be held weekly at Killarney's Family Pub, has participants purchase a ticket for $5 with the hopes of being the selected ticket that has a chance to draw the Ace of Spades from a regular deck of 52 cards.
"The jackpot accumulates from week-to-week until it is won, and the game is then over. Each week, participants buy tickets. The funds from ticket sales are divided into three parts. Kiwanis will keep 50 per cent, the winner of the weekly ticket, who has to be present for the draw wins 20 per cent of the jackpot, and the remaining 30 per cent goes into the jackpot. The weekly ticket winner also then draws a card from a deck of playing cards and wins the accumulated jackpot if the Ace of Spades is drawn. If not, the reduced deck is kept for the following week's game, and the jackpot rolls over to the next week," a Kiwanis news release explains.
Ron Gosselin, president of the Kiwanis Club, said the fundraiser has the potential to raise up to $20,000 for the club, which strives to craft programs that assist community youth.
As a new club – only in its first year – Kiwanis isn't elible to apply for casino funding – a primary funding source for many service clubs – until next year and then it usually takes another year or two to be scheduled.
Until that time, Gosselin said the plan is to use the Chase the Ace event to help the club raise needed funds.
For the first Chase the Ace event this Saturday, other service clubs have been invited to attend during the day, play a round of golf and then stay for a bite before purchasing tickets that go on sale at 5 p.m. Ticket sales end at 7 p.m. and the first ticket will be drawn by special guest Coun. Patrick Wilson.
Proceeds from the event will be used to fund Kiwanis' Christmas toy project for disadvantaged kids, its bike recycling program, kids leadership programs, Kamp Kiwanis and various other community programs.
