BETHEL — During the month of July, the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society will be holding an auction and raffle, featuring a wide array of items provided through the generosity of local businesses, members, and friends. Prizes include gift certificates for a round of golf, pet grooming or daycare, ski passes, and automotive undercoating; retail gift cards; a Char-Broil gas grill; a double strand of pearls; local maple syrup; and one-of-a-kind items like handmade quilts, a unique “Re-Pant!” tote bag, and a hand-hooked rug and pillow.

All of the items to be auctioned or raffled are on display at the society’s O’Neil Robinson House, located at 10 Broad Street, Wednesdays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Stop in to bid on silent auction items and to visit the raffle board, located on the open side porch of the Robinson House.

You may also bid on auction items by phone during regular open hours, and you can visit the raffle board anytime. There are ten prizes in the raffle, with ten rows of 20 envelopes, one row for each prize, attached to the board. The envelopes are numbered with dollar amounts from one dollar to $200.

Participants will select a numbered envelope from the row that corresponds to the prize they hope to win. The cost of each ticket will be the number written on the envelope, so you get to choose the amount you contribute to MBHS with your ticket purchase, from one dollar to $200.
Directions for the raffle are posted on the board and are as follows:
A. Take an envelope of your choice; place the amount of money in the envelope.
B. Write your name and phone number on the envelope.
C. Bring the envelope, with money, to the first floor office of the Robinson House.
You may purchase as many tickets as you like, until all of the envelopes are gone. Since no more than 20 tickets will be sold for each raffle item, your chances of winning the prize(s) you set your sights on are good!

Money raised through this special event will help MBHS to collect, preserve, display, and share the history of western Maine and the White Mountain Region of New Hampshire and Maine. Everyone who participates in the summer fundraiser by purchasing a raffle ticket or placing a bid on an auction item is eligible to sign up for a special behind-the-scenes tour of the museums’ collections and storage facilities during the month of July.

Please call to schedule a time for a look at the society’s state-of-the-art vault, clothing and textile collections, western Maine artifacts and antiquities, and extensive archives and research library. A “Fundraising Finale” will take place on Saturday, July 31, from 4 to 6 p.m. on the grounds of the Museums and will feature entertainment, drawings for the raffle prizes, and a final opportunity to bid on auction items.

For more information, or to place a bid or schedule a special tour, call 207-824-2908. Follow the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society Facebook page or visit our website at bethelhistorical.org to keep up to date on all of our upcoming events this summer.

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