What is The Rising Twenties Benevolent Basket Bash?
It is UUCM’s New Spring fundraiser being held on Saturday, June 4, 2022, with something for everyone: dinner, dancing and lots of opportunities (services, goods, events, experiences) to be raffled off during the course of the evening.
How much will the event cost?
Well it’s free to attend, and you can dance all night for free once the dance floor opens at 9:00 in Fletcher Hall, but you are going to want to buy some raffle tickets to get in on the action! And if you can’t swing the raffle tickets – we want your company anyway! – Speak to the Reverends confidentially about getting some WITT* tickets. WITT Tickets are awarded based on need, and will be indistinguishable from purchased tickets. (WITT = We’re in this together!)
Wait! How can a fundraiser be free?
Well, there is no entry fee for the evening, and all UUCM members and friends are welcome.
What is going to happen on the evening of June 4th?
Dinner: 6:00 – 7:00pm
Those who want to start the evening with a catered dinner in Fletcher Hall, can do so for the entry fee of one premium ($20 or more) bottle of wine* per person. Your bottle of wine will not be served at dinner, but made part of a “Wine Cellar” to be raffled off by the caseload during the course of the evening. (Wine will be served at dinner for those interested.)
Footnote for Dinner segment:
Alternatively, you can contribute a comparable amount to a pool of tickets which will be offered by Revs. Anya and Scott. The pool of WITT (*We’re in this together!) tickets will benefit persons who wish to participate in the raffle but who are on a limited budget.
Luck of the Draw 7:00 – 9:00pm
After dinner, there will be time to browse the prize displays in the Sanctuary and enter your tickets to win those that strike your fancy. (See ticket prices, below.) If, during your browsing experience, you ‘d like to purchase additional tickets, these will be available for purchase on the day at the published price per prize category (Small, Medium, Large, 50/50). As you browse, you will have the opportunity to reconnect with friends and listen to live music offered by our talented UUCM musicians.
Party Time: 9:00 – 11:00pm
Later in the evening we will have a live DJ and dancing in Fletcher Hall. Hors D’oeuvres and drinks (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) will be available all evening. Concurrently, we will be drawing the winning tickets in the Alliance Room (aka “The Drawing Room”!), and announce them both via Zoom to people participating virtually, and via bill-boards (think huge post-it papers) posted throughout the evening in Fletcher Hall. If winners for any categories remain pending selection, they will be announced on a following Sunday, as part of a Facebook Live (virtual) event. (The annual meeting is scheduled for 11:15 on June 5th – So that day will be jam-packed as well!!!) There will be ample opportunity in June to complete and announce the drawings.
Where will the fundraiser be held?
The Rising 20s – Benevolent Bash will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Montclair (67 Church Street, Montclair, NJ 07042).
When is the fundraiser?
The Festivities will be on June 4th, 2022, with dinner starting at 6:00pm and dancing starting at 8:30pm. But the fun begins well before that evening! On May 22 at 6:00 PM, the Benevolent Basket Bash catalog will be available on-line for browsing, and those who are not able to attend in-person, will be able to enter their tickets virtually at that time.
Will masks be required?
A determination will be made in consultation with the ROIT team of UUCM closer to the date of the event. The determination will be based on the community spread of Covid at that time. Of course, you are always welcome to wear a mask if you wish.
How will we raise money for UUCM at this event?
Donations from members and friends of UUCM will be raffled off individually. Each donation will be represented by a basket and money is raised via the purchase of each raffle ticket.
Will the event be in-person only?
Persons who are unable to attend in-person, are welcome to participate via our online raffle platform ahead of the event date. On the event (June 4th, 2022), we will live-stream the winner announcements from the Alliance Room (aka “The Drawing Room”!) via zoom. You will be able to follow along to see what you have won over the course of the evening – and we hope you join in the dancing from your chair, or living room dance floor.
How can I participate virtually?
Virtual participants can place their raffle selections via our online platform, and join us for a live drawing party on June 4th after 8:30PM. Details to follow
What kinds of things can I donate?
This is where it gets fun! You can host an event or party, teach a skill, offer a service, contribute a high-quality new item, create or donate a piece of art, offer a culinary masterpiece, offer a few hours of handy-person services or yard work etc… In the past, members have donated themed dinner parties, homemade quilts, TaiChi lessons, group hikes, a pot of soup, homemade cheesecake, and much more.
Can’t think of a donation, or have a donation that you can’t quite figure out how to offer? Not a problem – just call one of our Donation Consultants who can help you figure it out! See appendix for list of Fundraiser Contacts.
Can I donate more than once?
Sure! And we encourage different groups in the congregation to donate something that represents your group so that others may learn about you! The Crazy QUUilters have generously donated to the fund raiser in the past – How about your Covenant Group or Team? We can help you make sure your donation well represents you and contains contact information.
I’m ready to donate something, so how do I do it?
Once you have figured out what to donate, please go to: https://uucm.betterworld.org/donate-an-item where you can create an account and donate. We will be using the Better World site to collect and display the prizes, and Realm for the collection of money and the submission of raffle tickets by people who are participating virtually. Please note: The deadline for donations is MAY 8th, 2022. No new entries will be accepted after that date in order to ensure that the donation catalog is complete.
I’m not sure what to donate.
We recently published a “wish list” because many people stated they needed inspiration before making their intended donation to our fundraiser. Please view the list here and IF you have more ideas – it can be added to this growing list!
Is there a deadline for donations?
May 8, 2022
What if I need help with my donation?
Just call one of our Donation Consultants who can help you with this process.
Do I buy the raffle tickets in advance, or on the night of the Bash?
Both! Tickets can be purchased in advance at a bundled discount. Full priced tickets will be available for purchase throughout the evening of the Benevolent Basket Bash until the raffle closes at 9:00pm. If you are uncomfortable with QR codes or Realm— we still take cash or checks!!! We don’t want to discourage people from participating because you are feeling left behind. We can even do your registration for you at the table.
Each sheet of tickets costs $50 at full price on the evening of the event
Green sheets contain 25 tickets.
Yellow sheets contain 15 tickets.
Salmon sheets contain 5 tickets.
There will be an additional 50 / 50 ticket sale (purple tickets) during the evening as well.
Advance tickets will be on sale in bundled discounts:
A three-sheet bundle (one green, one yellow, and one salmon) will be available at $130
A six-sheet bundle (two green, two yellow and two salmon) will be available at $250
How will you know which ticket is mine; will I have to write my name and phone number on the back of every ticket?
No, we will have a database with the ticket numbers (range), full name and phone number. You don;t have to be at UUCM in person or virtually to win.
What if I can’t really afford to attend?
We are All In This Together (WITT) WITT tickets are available to ensure that everyone can participate in the Benevolent Bash. The Benevolent Bash has become a beautiful experiment of social justice in action. We, at the behest of our Board, and through the incredible leadership of Susie Roman-Luna and Sue Raufer, are working to develop a fundraising event for our congregation that is fully inclusive. I am excited to see what we can do together. Can we have fun while generously funding the many ministries of our congregation? And will everyone who participates, regardless of their financial situation feel that they are included in both the joy and the generosity? You can fund WITT tickets for others by contributing here. Ensure to select the “We are All In This Together (WITT)” fund. You can receive WITT tickets by making the request to one of our ministers (revscott@uumontclair.org or revanya@uuontclair.org) or if you wish to remain anonymous, by picking up WITT tickets in the box outside the minister’s office on Sundays beginning Sunday May 22nd, during or after a service. Please know that the WITT tickets are fully funded. This means that when you choose WITT UUCM receives the benefit!
How does someone win a prize?
People with tickets are welcome to browse out virtual catalog and make their selection online, or attend in-person to place your tickets in the corresponding basket receptacle. In order for us to successfully navigate the virtual/in-person aspects of this event, if you are planning to attend in person, you can browse the catalog, but will need to wait until the event to physically drop your tickets. Throughout the evening, designated Fundraiser Volunteers will shake the basket receptacle, and select one or multiple tickets (depending on the donation details) to announce the winners. It’s possible to win with only one entry, or multiple tickets – depending on the “luck of the draw”. You can submit multiple tickets to increase your chances of winning, but in multiple drawings, the same ticket number can only win once.
But what if I win only one ticket for a party, and I want to go with my partner or friend?
Don’t worry, we thought of that! Some events/parties will be sold as individual tickets, and some as pairs. Additionally, some parties/events will have a “plus one” option – whereby a person holding a winning ticket will be able to purchase one additional ticket for their companion for the price of a raffle ticket. The raffle bins will be clearly marked to avoid confusion.
Do I have to be there in person or virtually at the time of the drawing?
No. Because we are collecting names and phone numbers as we sell the tickets, we will notify you after the event if you are not in attendance in-person or virtually.
What happens if I win an event or party, but then I am not able to attend in the future?
If, when the date of the event or party rolls around and you are no longer able to go, you have two choices. You can send a friend of your choosing in your stead or simply notify the event host. The host can contact the Fundraising coordinators and another name will be selected at random from the original tickets, or a new member of the congregation will be invited to attend the event. This means, at any point during the course of the year, you could be called out of the blue and invited to attend a party that you previously entered the drawing for!