The LGVFD Ladies Auxiliary has nearly 145 gift baskets pledged so far for their annual Chinese auction-style basket fundraiser. This is the 10th year for the event, which features raffles, merchandise vendors, a table laden with desserts and rows and rows of gift baskets. The 2017 Annual Basket & Dessert Day is Sunday, Nov. 12, at the Lake George firehouse on Ottawa Street. Doors open at 1 p.m. with drawings beginning around 2:30 p.m.
The cost of admission is $10 for all ages and includes 25 auction tickets and desserts. Additional tickets may be purchased for $5 per sheet of 25. Attendance is limited to 200. The gift baskets, often with themes such as “movie night” or “coffee and chocolate,” are displayed on tables with a paper bag, marked with a basket number, hanging below the basket. Attendees may “bid” on a basket by dropping one or more tickets in the corresponding bag. Following the bidding period, drawings begin. One ticket is pulled from each bag and the bidder holding the matching ticket wins that basket.
Event proceeds support the Ladies Auxiliary’s Community Needs Fund. According to Auxiliary President Beth Brundage, last year’s event raised $6,000, which allowed them to “adopt” 17 children and their families for the holidays as well as 11 senior citizens. The Auxiliary provided scholarships to three members of the LGHS Class of 2016; they donated to the Charlotte M. McCue Scholarship Fund, helped two families following house fires and helped another family with special needs. “We are forever grateful for the continued support we have gotten from the community that allows us to keep this wonderful program going,” says event co-chair Edrie Squires.
The Ladies Auxiliary is also holding two raffles to benefit the Community Needs Fund. Raffle tickets for a $500 Southwest Airlines gift card are $5 each, and raffle tickets for a combination of $150 in lottery scratch-off tickets and $100 cash are $1 each. Raffle tickets may be purchased at the basket sale or from any member of the Ladies Auxiliary. The winning raffle ticket numbers will be drawn at the basket sale.
The LGVFD Ladies Auxiliary, founded in 1946, serves the Lake George Fire Department and the Lake George Community. “We have had a great year,” says Brundage. “We added nine new members this year, which is amazing. Our total membership is now at 29. This has allowed us to increase and improve on our team response for large fires/incidents to help with the support and rehabilitation of firefighters and first responders at these calls.”
Also this year, the Ladies Auxiliary received a donation from a local family that allowed them to purchase all-season work coats for their members, “…something we had not been able to do in over 15 years,” says Brundage. The LGVFD and Ladies Auxiliary will be hosting an open-house on Halloween for trick-or-treaters, and they will be bringing Santa to the firehouse on Nov. 25 for visits with children as part of the Lake George Lite Up the Village celebration.
Anyone wishing to purchase a raffle ticket or donate a basket to the sale may leave a message for event co-chairs Edrie Squires and Lori Combs at (518)668-5083. Basket donations may also be brought to the firehouse the day of the sale between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. “As President of the Lake George Fire Department Auxiliary,” says Brundage, “I can tell you this group of women continually give me reason to be proud. I hope everyone will come and join us on November 12th and see first hand what an amazing group they are!”
Nice things are happening in Lake George and Warrensburg. Makes one thinking how nice it would be to live there.