Published: July 04, 2008 11:50 pm      

Fuel on the mind

Main Street prize drawing touts

ASHLAND — Ashland Main Street wants to reduce the gasoline expenses of a few lucky folks.

The downtown revitalization organization is hosting a “Mega Summer Celebration” raffle with more than $25,000 in prizes, many geared toward fuel savings.

Those would include a brand-new 2008 Ford Focus, with estimated fuel mileage of 35 miles per gallon highway, donated by Boyd County Ford; a 2008 Schwinn Hope 50 motor scooter, which gets more than 100 miles per gallon, donated by Stafford Motorsports; and several $100 gas cards donated by various businesses.

“We know the gas prices have been tough on people, and we like to try to address issues like that whenever we can,” Main Street Director Danny Craig said.

There are plenty of non-fuel-related prizes to be had, too, including a big-screen TV or a $1,500 store credit from Big Sandy Superstores; restaurant gift certificates, gift baskets and tickets to shows at the Paramount Arts Center.

According to Craig, Main Street is hoping to sell 5,000 tickets for the drawing at $20 each. That would give every person who purchases a ticket a 1-in-250 shot at winning a prize, and raise $100,000, before expenses, for Main Street.

The prize drawing will be at 3 p.m. Sept. 21 during Ashland’s Poage Landing Days festival. Ticket purchasers need not be present to win, Craig said.

In the event that fewer than 1,000 tickets are sold, all tickets will be entered into a 50-50 “split the pot” drawing, he said.

Craig said the non-profit organization came up with the idea to hold the raffle because it wanted to encourage people to donate to Main Street while giving donors a little something in return for their money.

Craig said he is hoping ticket sales from the drawing will provide the organization with the money to fund various downtown repair projects, such as awnings, paint and facade work.

“We just need some extra money to keep us doing the things that we need to do,” he said.

Clear Channel Broadcasting has signed on as a co-sponsor of the raffle.

For more information, or to purchase tickets, call (606) 325-7692.