It was a perfect afternoon; the weather couldn’t have been better. On July 3 in Burton’s Century Village, the Burton Middlefield Rotary (BMR) held the first annual Maple Splash Raffle Festival. The festival provided venue for more than 20 local non-profits to raise awareness and funds. This event culminated a year of selling tickets for $20 each throughout the area and beyond. BMR raised more $100,000 thanks to all the generous sponsors and supporters. Of the 5,000 tickets printed, all were sold. Nearing the 8 p.m. drawing time, president of Rotary, Larry Fox made a last-call appeal to sell the final few hundred tickets. Bob Voss, Chesterland Rotary and Marie Lovas, Beaches and Dreams Travel, stepped right up and purchased the remaining tickets. Jackie Preston Franck of Preston Superstore was onsite to draw the winning ticket for the brand-new Ford F 150! On the following Sunday, Pat Preston, Jackie Preston Franck; Larry Fox and Jim Dvorak all gathered to present the truck keys to our winner, Mark Varner and family of Middlefield!
Winners of the grand prizes were as follows: 2020 Ford F-150, donated by Preston Ford was Mark Varner of Middlefield; $2,500 cash was Ellen Martanchik of Chardon; Diamond Pendant donated by Steven DiFranco Jeweler’s was Brian Wendl of Chardon; $1,500 cash went to Paul Davis of Cleveland; Chain Saw Package donated by First Quality Power Place was Doug Thompson of Johnson City, TN; $1,500 cash was Tim Weidner of Solon; 65” Flat Screen TV donated by RadioActive Electronics was Chip Chakford, of Auburn, $1,000 cash was John Weaver Jr. of Middlefield and Toro Snow Blower donated by Alvord’s Yard & Garden Equipment was David Harrison of Middlefield.
Many thanks to all sponsors: The Preston Superstore, Geauga Financial Advisors, Arm’s Trucking, Steven Difranco Jewelers, McCaskey Landscaping & Design, Dumpster Bandit, LLC., Beaches & Dreams Travel Co., RadioActive Electronics, First Quality Power Place, Alvord’s Yard and Garden Equipment, B & J Environmental Inc., KBR Solutions Inc. Kleve & Associates Insurance Agency, Inc., Geauga Mechanical, Taylor Plumbing Contractors Inc., Kinetico Water systems Inc., Geauga Door, O’Reilly Equipment and Designs by Dianna, LTD.
All funds raised from this event and drawings are donated to causes of need throughout Geauga County.
Non-profits represented at the festival were: Chardon Fire Dept., Geauga County Veteran Food Pantry, Peace Lutheran Church, Next Step, Kiwanis Club of East Geauga, St. Helen Church, WomenSafe, Red Tulip Project of Geauga, DDC Clinic for Special Needs Children, Buddy Cruise/Erin’s Umbrella, Destination Geauga, University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center, Geauga County Historical Society- Century Village, South Newbury Union Chapel, Relay for Life, Claridon Community Helps, Go-To Team , Burton Chamber of Commerce, Lake Geauga Realtors Association, Geauga Faith Rescue Mission and Leadership Geauga County.
Thank you, Geauga County and beyond!
