NEW SHARON — Douin’s Market and Diner will host a fundraiser Friday for the Destination Imagination Team at Mt. Blue Middle School in Farmington.

The team of five is raising $6,000 to compete at the Destination Imagination Global Finals on May 20-23 at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. It needs $800 more.

Douin’s, at Routes 2 and 27, will donate 50 percent of special menu items purchased between 4 and 8 p.m. Friday, May 15, to the team. The special menu includes ham Italians, hoagies, pizzas and breaded mushroom or fried veggie appetizers, according to Douin’s Facebook page.

Team members will help serve, clear tables, greet customers and perform their song, Lynn Wells, team manager and fifth-grade teacher, said. Donations will be accepted.

For the first time the team will hold a 50/50 raffle. Tickets may be purchased Friday.

A similar fundraiser was held at Calzolaio Pasta Company in Wilton, where the team also performed. They have done a fundraiser at Subway, sent letters to businesses and talked to people leaving businesses about their team, Wells said.

The team members will hold a dance for sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders at Mt. Blue Middle School in Farmington when they return.

The owners of Douin’s and Calzolaio’s have always been big supporters, along with parents, Wells said. 

The Halloween Funks team of Rachel Spear and Chelsie Berkey, both of Farmington, and Kayleigh Brisard, Emma White and Charlie Eng, all of New Sharon, will leave Maine on Monday, May 18, arrive in Tennessee on Tuesday, May 19, and perform at 2:54 p.m. Wednesday, May 20.

For the state tournament on March 28, the team had eight minutes to set up and make its presentation, including a song and dance they created to the song “Uptown Funk.” The challenge included creating and presenting an original “Feary Tale” about a character dealing with a phobia.

The team took first place at the state tournament. For three of the members and Wells, it was the second year in a row they’ve won the top spot.

abryant@sunmediagroup.net