The Westford Academy Softball and Baseball programs will be hosting a Casino Night fundraiser at the Nabnasset Lake Country Club on Saturday, March 15 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The tickets are $30 per person, and can be purchased by emailing Jeff Snow to secure a spot.
There are many different components to this fundraiser that will help raise money for the programs, such as raffles for different prizes, the ticket money, the silent auction, and the casino entry fee. This fundraiser is not only meant to raise money for the programs, but also includes a social aspect for the adults. Additionally, they hope to build connections and a community between those who come and the WA softball and baseball programs.
The silent auction portion of the fundraiser is open for anyone to donate different items, like timeshares, Airbnbs, tickets, signed jerseys, or sports pictures. Small businesses can donate as well as anyone who has something to offer such as if they are season ticket holders and they are willing to donate tickets to a sports game.
All the money from the raffle tickets goes straight to the program. This involves purchasing practice uniforms, potential warm up gear and sweatshirts, the end of the year banquet, and if there is enough money raised, paying for the two team’s senior nights.
This fundraiser is also a potluck, and there will be a sign-sheet where anyone can sign up to bring different foods to the event. Softball Head Coach and Casino Night Organizer Gina Mustoe stated they don’t want duplicates of food brought so people will have to make it known what they are bringing, and which of the three categories it falls under: a hot appetizer, a cold appetizer, or a dessert.
Because this specific fundraiser is a very age specific event, the coaches had to find a place that would be willing to host adults and a casino night in Westford.
“We’ve done [events] at the Nab Country Club in the past, and when we initially chose a date there was a conflict, so we did have to change the date,” Mustoe said. “But the Country Club was more than willing to rent it because we had used them in the past and already had the contact there.”
With the WA athletes not being of age to participate in the casino part of the fundraiser, they were asked to help promote the event by going around and selling at least 15 raffle tickets.
“All of [the WA athletes] went above and beyond and some sold 30 tickets while others sold over 40,” Mustoe said.
Since this fundraiser is for both the Softball and Baseball programs, each team raises their own money, and any funds they receive will go to that designated team.
“[The softball team] will get what we earned, and the baseball guys are going to get what they earn,” Mustoe said. “The casino earnings will be split down the middle and all the profits will be shared evenly among the two teams.”
