CHICOPEE — On Friday, April 26, Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen and Pantry is hosting its sixth annual quarter auction at the Elks Club, 431 Granby Rd. The doors open at 6 p.m., with the auction beginning at 7 p.m.
Admission costs $5 and the entry fee gets you one auction paddle and a raffle ticket for the teacup raffle. There will be food, a bake sale and a cash bar. The event raises funds for Lorraine’s while supporting local vendors.
The vendor list so far includes Harper Moon, Elite Beading, S and S hand soaps, Black Diamond, Tupperware and Avon.
Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen and Pantry is a nonprofit that provides pantry food and hot meals to residents.
Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen and Pantry Board President Donna Marratta explained how the quarter auction works. The raffle baskets will be displayed before the auction begins and you place a wooden token in the basket you want.
She added, “We will probably have about 30 or more baskets or gift cards and say the basket or gift card has a value of $25, if you would like a chance to win that, you put a quarter in the bowl that is on your table, put your paddle up in the air, we mix around the wooden tokens and if we pull your token out or your number, you win for 25 cents.”
People are allowed to bring their own quarters as well as snacks.
Marratta also talked about the excitement that the event brings to the community.
“It’s just a fun night. You can come in to shop. It’s one of those things that, as you are there, the excitement of what’s up starts to build and you get a buzz. Everyone is laughing and has a good time,” she added.
Marratta said she also likes the event because of how affordable it can be for most.
She added, “I am all about that if we have an event that might cost $35 to come to, I like to have a lower end event so that way everyone feels included. I was a single mom for many years and my budget might not have allowed me to take $35 to go to the designer purse bingo but $5 I could probably handle.”
Tickets can be bought in advance by calling Marratta at 413-557-9280.
Lorraine’s will also be hosting its third annual designer purse bingo on Friday, May 17 beginning at 5 p.m. at Knights of Columbus Council 69, 460 Granby Rd. The entry fee is $35 and will get you 10 bingo cards, a dauber, door prize ticket for a special raffle and light refreshments. There will also be a cash bar at the event. There will be around 40-50 raffle baskets. Multiple games of bingo will be played starting at 6:30 p.m. with the chance to win different designer bags including Michael Kors and Kate Spade.
Marratta explained how the bingo games will be played and how people can win purses.
She said, “If there is a special purse you like, you can buy extra cards and chances to play bingo to try and get that purse. If two people win, the first one will win the purse and the second one will probably receive a wristlet. If you win a purse in game one and then your lucky enough to get bingo in game five, you can win two purses that day.”
Marratta added that if bingo players bring canned goods, you will get a ticket for a special raffle.
Tickets are going quick and are encouraged to be bought in advance by calling Executive Director Kim Caisse at 413-592-9528.
Money raised from both events will help benefit Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen and Pantry by helping those in need.
