Winning raffle tickets drawn; Bessemer 50/50 prize claimed

BESSEMER — Mari Negro of Hermansville claimed the $25,425 prize in the Bessemer Fourth of July 50/50 raffle on Friday.

The winning ticket, No. 58354, was drawn Thursday evening around 7 p.m., just as the parade began.

Fourth of July committee member Sheri Graham said Negro is married to Les Negro, formerly of Wakefield, and that they have been coming to the Bessemer Fourth of July celebration and buying 50/50 tickets for 20 years.

Graham thanked all those who bought and sold tickets. “This was our second highest prize, next to the $25,987 in 2011.”

The cash from this year’s sales is used as seed money for next year’s festival, including purchasing fireworks and funding prizes for the week’s contests.

Graham, who is in charge of the 50/50 subcommittee, said there were 45 volunteers selling 50/50 tickets this year. “Our tent on the highway has been very popular. We’ve had between 45 to 60 people selling in years past. The last two days were crazy busy. We sold right up until 7 o’clock on Thursday.”

This was not the only 50/50 raffle from the July 4 holiday drawn recently in the area.

In Hurley, the winning ticket in support of the Fourth of July fireworks was a blue ticket with the number 2755. The prize is $2,587.

The winning ticket in Wakefield’s 50/50 is 14561 with a prize of $8,010. There was also another raffle in Wakefield for firewood, and the winning ticket number is 841572.

Winners in Wakefield can call 906-229-5609 to claim their prizes.