Last chance nears to purchase gift basket tickets and place bids at on-line auction for PI Rotary’s Great Big Give Back

Participants are encouraged to bring work gloves if they can; all other materials—from paint brushes to garbage bags—will be provided by the local recreation departments. The rain date for this event is Sunday, May 15, Noon-3 p.m. FMI: contact Rice at 207-554-9059, Fowler at 207-592-6138, or Boot at 207-764-2361.

Presque Isle -  As the St. Patrick’s Day basket drawing and auction close draw nears, members of the Presque Isle Rotary Club are reminding community members to buy their Great Big Give Back tickets and place their on-line bids before time runs out. On March 17, 2022, eight lucky winners will each walk away with a gift basket valued at over $1,000, filled with merchandise and gift certificates from local merchants and organizations.  That same evening, bids will close for the Great Big Give Back on-line Rotary Auction with over 40 items valued at more than $15,000.

A limited supply of $10 tickets for the drawing are available for purchase through the end of the day on Wednesday, March 16, 2022, in Presque Isle at Graves Shop ‘n Save and the ACAP customer service center near Walmart, or from individual members of the Presque Isle Rotary Club.  Community members can also request tickets through the Great Big Give Back link on the Presque Rotary Club website – www.presqueislerotary.org and a Rotarian will follow-up to arrange for purchase and distribution. 

 The basket ticket drawing is scheduled for the evening of March 17, at the Northeastland Hotel, and will be broadcast live on the Presque Isle Rotary Club Facebook Page.

 That same evening, beginning at 6:00 p.m., the first bids will close on the on-line Rotary Auction, with all bids closing in a rolling fashion. To view the items and place bids, community members are encouraged to visit the Great Big Give Back section of the Presque Isle Rotary Club Website and follow the link to the auction, or go directly to www.greggauctions.com.  

 “So far, the response has been excellent, and we know that many people will wait until the last minute to both get their tickets and place their on-line bids. We want to encourage community members to get tickets as soon as possible to ensure they get them in time, and while we still have some available,” said Chantal Pelletier, who along with fellow Presque Isle Rotarian Jamie Guerrette, are co-chairing the fundraising event.

 Rotarians are looking to top their more than 2,500 tickets sold in the successful inaugural year of the now annual Great Big Give Back project.

 Proceeds from this year’s fundraising event will support the Presque Isle Rotary Club Scholarship Fund, the Francis Malcolm Science Center, C-A-N-C-E-R (Caring Area Neighbors for Cancer Education & Recovery) and Aroostook Partners in the Arts.

 “We are so pleased to support four great causes that help lift the aspirations of young adults in our community, inspire and expand the minds of youth and adults alike, and care for some of the most vulnerable community members among us,” said Guerrette.  “Not only are those purchasing tickets and bidding on items in our on-line auction taking a chance on walking away with some great, valuable items, they are helping enrich the lives of others who will benefit from their generosity.”

 The Presque Isle Rotary Club has been raising money and giving back to many great local causes for nearly a century. In just the last decade, the iconic Rotary Auction has raised more than $1.4 million. 

 In 2020-2021, amidst a global pandemic, club members re-engineered their Annual Auction in a unique way with the raffle baskets and a mini-auction, and renamed it The Great Big Give Back.