LOWELL — Of the 60,000 $1 tickets sold since November 25, sun santaonly 23 people, the number of baskets representing the communities Sun serves, could win the prize.
But at Monday afternoon’s draw, all went home as winners, knowing that their donations would go towards holiday support for local families and children’s toys for Christmas.
Lowell Sun Charities Chairman Kevin Coughlin expressed his joy in his opening remarks. He thanked the hospital and its CEO, Jody White, for their generous donations over the years.
“I’m almost speechless when I see what you’ve done in this raffle,” Coughlin said. “Over the years, the facility has raised over $1.2 million for him and he is still one of the largest San Santa donors today. We are so grateful to all the families who help us.”
Last year, the event was held remotely via YouTube. Again this year, the staff and the general public flocked to the auditorium, basket lottery Prices ranged from $400 to $4,000 and included cash, lottery tickets, gift cards, vacation packages, technology products, and a selection of food and beverages.
White officiates the painting, as he has done for the past few years.
“It’s an honor and a pleasure to be here,” he told the audience. “This hospital prides itself on putting people first, and that is demonstrated here today.” department donated $15,000 worth of merchandise to these 23 baskets.”
The “Pizza! Pizza!” basket, valued at $775 and containing Ooni’s fire-and-stone-fired pizza oven and pizza-making equipment, was eagerly awaited to see if a ticket would be picked.
Tinsboro native Nicole Siebert, who now lives in New Hampshire, is the center’s practice manager who has participated in the raffle in the past.
“Of course, I will bid again this year,” she said. “I have won baskets in the past and my mother won once. ”
Her practice supervisor at Tewkesbury, Lisa Rosado, also made a bid, saying she “hopes to win.”
Even Santa Claus, also known as Paul Beausoleil in Dorakat, said he was “ringing in season” and bid on several baskets.
White provided running commentary during a draw to call for work in the department that donated the basket.
The pharmacy department donated “Cozy Christmas” baskets containing hand-woven blankets and Yankee candles. White said the department runs his 24/7 operation, working on patient medications and on the in-house retail pharmacy floor.
“Our pharmacists are world class,” he said.
Other baskets had titles such as “Bake the World a Better Place” from the finance department, but White said they didn’t mean “cooking hospital books,” but meant something delicious. He made the audience laugh.
The “Have Yourself a Merry Little Cocktail” basket is equivalent to $1,600 of premium drink mixers and supplies. Teamwalk manager Andrea Jackson, who held the raffle lottery bag for White, joked that everyone would go to the winner’s house after the event.
The festive mood continued as White painted the winner of the “Million Dollar Tree” donated by the Supply Chain department. The basket contained $240 worth of scratch tickets. The $5 billion hospital relies on the department to keep its supply chain running smoothly for its patients and staff, White said.
Basket No. 23 is arguably the most popular, Jackson has a big red bag from which White is starting to look like game time donated by the tech and IT departments’ only ticket pulled out. It featured, among other gadgets, what White laughingly described as “something from the Xbox S series.”
Jokes and fun aside, the basket raffle is, according to White, “a time for the hospital to stand with our community and put the people of Lowell first during Christmas. To everyone who made the basket, we won the bid.” Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you have done.”
None of the audience members won the lottery—attendance wasn’t required to win—but Rosado was so disappointed because “all the money goes for a good cause.” She said she never did, which brightened her holiday. .
Other upcoming Santa Claus events include:
December 11th
• Lowell’s Polish-American veterans and their female aides will attend the 14th Annual Military Day for Sun Santa at the Polish National Home/Dom Polski, 10 Coburn St., Lowell, from 1:00 to 5:00 pm. Host a Christmas party. It was held in honor of Robert “Bob” Jaracz. The day is marked by raffles, music, food, and a visit from Santa. A $5 donation is required and children under 5 enter for free.
December 15th
• Westford Remembers/Team Forever Young will host their annual Dining for a Cause event at Evviva Trattoria in Westford from 5:30pm to 9:00pm. This event includes a gift basket raffle. A portion of the dinner and raffle proceeds benefit San Santa.
December 17th
• Westford Democratic Rep. Jim Arciello will host an annual event from 10 am to noon at Lyttelton Police Headquarters at 500 Great Road. Participants will be asked to bring a check issued to The Sun Santa Fund and/or a new, unwrapped toy from Toys for Tots.
• Lowell Mayor Sokhaly Chau will host the third annual Holiday Drive & Drop event from noon to 2pm at the Lowell Boys & Girls Club, Greater Lowell, 657 Middlesex Street, Lowell. and/or new unwrapped toys for local children.
A secure online donation is lowellsun.com/sun-santa Or mail to The Sun Santa Fund, PO Box 2439, Lowell, MA 01851.
