Lowe wins Wallace Chamber raffle car

WALLACE — It was all smiles last Saturday night when the winners of the Wallace Chamber of Commerce raffle were announced at the annual Center of the Universe Rededication Ceremony.

Taking the grand prize of a 2014 Ford Focus, provided by Dave Smith Motors, was Christine Lowe of Wallace.

Chamber Coordinator Dave Copelan explained that Lowe's car broke down a year ago and she was unable to get it fixed.

"She bought one ticket at Johnson’s Gems and won the car. She really needed this and the Chamber is so happy she won the car," he said.

Like many other groups hoping to host events this year, the Wallace Chamber had to get creative with their primary fundraiser when the pandemic hit.

With the annual auction being one of their many event casualties, Copelan decided to hold a raffle and combine it with a Wallace tradition that has recently gotten new life.

"With COVID, it doesn't look like we can have a live auction," he said in a previous interview. "So we figured, 'let's have a raffle during our Center of the Universe party!"

Originally started in 2005, the Center of the Universe Rededication was shown on a national stage last year when a film crew with NBC’s Sunday "TODAY Show" with Willie Geist stopped by to record the festivities.

Held at the probable exact location of the center of the universe, a manhole cover at the junction of Sixth and Bank streets, spectators fill the intersection to partake in the festivities.

The Wallace Elks Drum and Bugle Corp. started things off with a marching band salute.

This year's rededication was made once again by self-proclaimed Prime Minister of Wallace, Rick Shaffer, who fired the crowd up and read from the speech given by former mayor Ron Garitone in 2004 at the first ceremony.

With the renewed interest in the event, it only made sense for Copelan to read off the winners of the Chamber's raffle at the end of the dedication.

The Chamber sold every one of its 400 available tickets, which went a long way to helping them financially.

"We raised close to $9,000, which covers the money we would have made normally with the auction," Copelan said.

Copelan added that local businesses made sure that all the tickets were bought up. Businesses such as the 1313 Club, Silver Streak Ziplines, and 6th & Cedar Espresso picked up tickets for all their employees.

The move paid off too, as an employee from each establishment won something in the raffle.

Thirty-two prizes were up for grabs including hotel stays, Zipline tickets, Ski and Hiawatha packages, jewelry, e-bike rentals, drink and dining packages, and of course, the car.

Since the new raffle was such a success this year, Copelan plans to completely replace the annual auction with the raffle and hold the drawing during the rededication ceremony.

As for Lowe, she had a 1 in 400 shot of winning the car, as she only purchased a single ticket from Johnson's Gems.

Copelan and the Chamber will be making sure that Lowe has everything she needs to get on the road, if she needs it.

"If she has any trouble with the associated costs like getting the car registered or licensed, we'll help with that too."

The following are this year's Wallace Chamber of Commerce Raffle winners:

• Christine Lowe, 2014 Ford Focus from Dave Smith Motors
• Anna Berger, Harvest Foods gift certificate
• Dick Caron, Hiawatha Tickets & Lamp from Twin City Furniture
• Charles Drury, Zanetti Bros. gift certificate
• Janet Feiler, Shoshone Golf Club rounds of golf and cart rentals
• Jessie Butler, North Idaho Mountain Brew Growler, Glasses and Growler Fill
• Shelli Niemi, Silver Mountain Resort Gondola Rides
• Flo and Mike Gunderson, 6th & Cedar Gift Basket and US Bank goodie basket
• Mathias Bachman, Funky Monkey and Oliver’s Mercantile Gift Baskets
• Teresa Flohr, Woodland Market Gift Basket
• David Gardner, Silver Corner Bar Gift Basket
• Piper Murray, Room & Gift Basket from the Lux Rooms and Cindy Carlson Realty Gift Basket
• Judy Bertoch, Wallace Blues Festival passes and gift basket
• Jerry White, Albi’s Dinner, Wine and Dessert
• Stephanie Greenwood, Silver Streak Zipline passes
• Gary Peterson, Blackboard Café Gift Certificate
• Deb Cuyle, Silver Moose solid chocolate moose sculpture
• Tim Johnson, Johnson Gems gift basket
• Mike Hayman, Johnson Gems gift basket
• Jim Price, Johnson Gems gift basket
• Carol Bell, Spokehouse E-Bike Rentals
• Ethan Fuentes, Sol & Serre one year of delivered bouquets
• Lynn Gilbert, Good Samaritan Cinnamon Rolls
• Cindy Rose, Stovern Supply Car Cover
• Sano Haldi, Idaho Silver Gift Basket