Ticket sales have been slow so far in 2017 and the local fire department is putting a push on in the last couple of weeks to bring those numbers up and meet their minimum quota to be able to give out the top prize of the 2017 Dodge Ram.
“We have to have over 2,800 tickets to make it a draw,” said Louise Landry, chair of this year’s truck draw. “Otherwise it will go to a 50/50 draw.”
With only about 800 tickets sold to date, the firefighters have their work cut out for them, said Landry. Usually by this date, the department has well over 1,000 tickets sold so “it has been very slow going.” But she is remaining optimistic numbers will start to pick up.
“It’s definitely doable,” she said. “So hopefully it will happen.”
In its 12th year, the truck draw fundraiser has never had to go to a 50/50, with the department selling anywhere from 2,900 to 3,300 tickets in a given year.
Landry pointed out that the truck draw is an important initiative for the local fire department as it is its main fundraiser, helping bring in between $16,000 to $18,000 each year to purchase much-needed lifesaving equipment. In the past, the proceeds have gone towards items such as a Kubota utility vehicle, air packs, saws, and other gear.
A total of 3,500 tickets are printed for the fundraiser, with the grand prize being a truck along with many other valuable prizes offered.
“Everyone seems to buy at the last minute and hopefully that will happen again,” said Landry.
She noted there is usually a major rush of ticket sales the day of the draw itself, during Sackville Fall Fair’s two main events – the parade and the farm field day. This year the draw will be held on Saturday evening, Sept. 16 at the Sackville fire hall.
The grand prize for this year’s draw is a 2017 Dodge Ram 1500 ST Quad Cab 4X4 from Amherst Chrysler (or any new 2017 model of equal or lesser value).
Other prizes include: a $3,000 trip voucher from Maritime Travel; a 420 cc 30” MTD snow thrower with cab from Payzant Home Hardware; $1,000 in gasoline from Sackville Esso; a Dewalt combo kit from Tantramar Electric; or $700 in free groceries from Your Independent Grocer
Tickets are $20 each and include well over $50 in coupons from local businesses. Tickets can be purchased from fire department members, Main Street Esso, NAPA, or KD Glass.
