FALL RIVER: A dream that Ian Avery and the Fall River Dragons football association have had for several years is closer to becoming a reality, and now they’re on the goal line looking for the extra push from the community to make it a touchdown.
Beginning Feb. 17, the Dragons, in partnership with LWF Minor Baseball, will be holding Chase the Ace at the LWF Community Hall in Fall River. It will run every Friday night from 6-7:45 p.m., with the draw at 8 p.m. Tickets will be sold throughout the community. There will be food available at the Hall, with the menu varying each week it is hoped, Avery said.
“With the need for an influx of cash to finish our football year, this was the year to do it,” said Avery on Feb. 7 at a Fall River coffee shop. “Over the past few months we’ve been getting our executive board and fundraising committee together.”
What makes the Dragons Chase the Ace unique is that they will have stub tickets. He said the Dragons plan to Facebook Live video as well as video the proceedings.
Avery explained how that works.
“The nice thing about using stub tickets, you do not need to be present to win. All we need is a name and phone number,” said Avery. “If your name is drawn we will call the successful winner and they have the choice to come down and pick a card or they can proxy that pick to somebody at the hall.”
He said they have reached out to a few community organizations to see if they wished to partner, and decided to do so with LWF Minor Baseball. The Dragons program draws from Beaver Bank, Fall River, Enfield, and Elmsdale areas.
It will mark the first time Chase the Ace is done in Fall River. There are other ones on the go right now at the Waverley Legion Tuesday nights and Thursday nights at the Beaver Bank-Kinsac Community Centre.
“We hope we don’t cause a traffic headache on the Fall River Road on Friday nights, but we do hope people come out and buy tickets and support our program,” he said.
Avery said the main reason for the Chase the Ace fundraiser is to raise enough money to finish off the multi-sport field that is under construction at the corner of High Road and Carmel Crescent in Saint Andrews Village. Currently, there is 1,800 cubic yards of dirt delivered before Christmas by Lively Construction.
“We are into year three of our build and this last fundraising drive should allow us to get the field finished and allow us to have our football squads on the field playing this year,” he said. “As soon as the frost is out, we’re going to bring in a dozer, shape it and then hydro-seed the field right away.
“By September or October it should be ready to play for our mites and atoms.”
All Dragons teams should be able to hold their games and practices on the association’s secondary field in 2018. It can also host other sports such as Ultimate Frisbee and rugby, to name just a couple.
Avery noted that the Chase the Ace will be a full 52-week fundraiser, with a minimum winning prize of $1,500 which is the jackpot to start on Feb. 17.
For more information, check out the Dragons Chase the Ace Facebook page to follow along each week as the jackpot potentially grows.
phealey@enfieldweeklypress.com
