Cow Chip Raffle To Benefit Graduation Event

Bovine excrement may not be something residents normally want on their plot of land but on May 30 it will mean an extra $500 in someone's pocket.

Yes, it's time for the fourth annual Cow Chip Raffle to benefit the Canton High School Substance Free Graduation event.

For each $5 raffle ticket, purchasers will “buy” one of 1,000 squares that will be painted on Bicentennial Field. Canton resident Daren Hall, of Hall’s Farm in Simsbury, will bring two cows and a portable electric fence to the field on Old River Road near the town garage and waste treatment plant for the 1 p.m. Memorial Day event.

Squares will be numbered to match the tickets and top prize goes to the holder of the square where a cow first makes a manure deposit. 

Those who hold numbers for four surrounding squares will win second through fifth-place prizes, which are $150, $50, a $50 gift card to ShopRite and a $25 gift card for Ben & Jerry’s. How the prizes are awarded depends on exactly where the waste lands in the first square.  

Organizer Missy Zils, whose grandparents were dairy farmers, said the event has a high profit margin for the substance free graduation party, reminds residents of the town’s history and is just fun.

“To me it’s just kind of hysterical,” she said. 

“It’s a nice way to make a good profit,” Zils added.

The committee gives a small donation to the Halls and the top three prizes are taken from the donations. Zils purchased the gift cards, so the rest of the ticket proceeds go to the party efforts.

Raffle tickets can be purchased at the Town Clerk’s office, Canton High School sporting events this week, Little League games or by contacting Zils at missyzils@comcast.net or 860-543-2642. Winners need not be present. Ticket numbers are random and multiple chances can be purchased.

Several other ongoing efforts will benefit the graduation party as well.

The committee is offering $15 lawn signs as a way for families and friends to congratulate graduates. For details contact Marie Valley at 860-416-6601 or dmvalley@sbcglobal.net.

Businesses, families and friends who are willing to donate raffle prizes for the party can contact Debbie Herman at hermandkh@comcast.net. Potential food providers can contact Kirsten Getler at katgetler@comcast.net.

In addition, monetary donations can be sent to CHS 2011 Graduation Party, Canton High School, 76 Simonds Ave., Canton, CT 06019.

And anyone interested in volunteering can contact Co-Chairs Linda Quattro at loudevito@gmail.com or 860-693-9061, or Kathi Maglia at kmmaglia@comcast.net or 860-693-0544.

Response is picking up but donations are still needed.

Quattro said Canton has always been supportive of the event. “The community responds very well to this each year,” she said.

The party will be held at Farmington Farms the night of graduation but the details are top secret.

Students “don’t know exactly what we’re planning,” Quattro said.