By now, the Bunker Hill Associates would be head-on into Charlestown Pride Week with Peter Looney Night, the CHAD March and lively Bunker Hill Family Feud events underway or on the way, but for the second year in row, COVID-19 has put a damper on the best two weeks of the year in Charlestown, but the Associates are ramping up a fun, fundraising activity this week.
Associates member Jimmy Lister Jr. said they have launched the 2021 Mega Raffle this week on the RallyUp website, and are poised to give away $4,000 in prizes at an online drawing June 13. It is a similar system used for the very successful fundraising effort last year that helped provide funds for seniors in need of food, and also support local restaurants.
Now, having exhausted a lot of resources on keeping people with the life basics over the last year, the Associates are pivoting back to their mission of providing community grants and help for young people – but that’s going to take some fundraising.
“Last year we pivoted from our traditional mission of community programming to feed those deeply impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Lister. “We’re now trying to find new ways of fundraising to get back to our mission of programming for Charlestown. Last year, our budget – we blew it out to make sure we touched all the bases in Town and helped people who needed it the most.”
Some of the things they are looking to fundraise for in 2021 include:
•Meals and groceries for senior citizens
•Back to school ready packs for Charlestown Children
•Funding for the local food pantry
•Free lifeguard courses at the YMCA Charlestown
•Senior citizen and teen mentoring program
•Holiday care packages for seniors and shut-ins
•Gift cards to feed the less fortunate during the holidays
•Luncheons and celebrations to promote community service
Lister said they have assembled more than $4,000 in prizes as part of the raffle, and those prizes include:
•Peloton Exercise Bike ($2045 Value)
•Two night stay in Cape Neddick at the Cliff House in Maine ($1,000 Value)
•Free entries to all 2021 Bunker Hill Associate Events ($650 Value) •$800 Charlestown Restaurant Package.
Entries can be purchased by following this link:
https://go.rallyup.com/bunkerhillraffle
The drawing will take place on Sunday, June 13, so time is of the essence to purchase entries in the raffle.