Kent Memorial Library kicks off 18th annual car raffle

KENT — The prize in this year’s Kent Memorial Library car raffle is a 2000 Porsche Boxster S convertible.

Since 2002, with notable exceptions in ‘03, ‘05, ‘16, and ‘20, the library has held the charity event annually to benefit the library.

Along with the Porsche, there is a second-place prize package of two ebikes.

Five thousand tickets are available, and the raffle closes at the Pumpkin Run, held Sunday, Oct. 29, at 1 p.m.

Previous prizes have included a 2005 BMW, 2012 Corvette, and 2013 Mustang, with all ticket sales benefiting the Library.

The silver Porsche Boxster has a Metropol Blue interior, a 250HP 3.2L 6CYL engine, and manual transmission. More information about the car is available at the library, on its website, and at the raffle booth located outside the library on weekends.

This year’s vehicle is used, refurbished, and has an estimated market value of $18,000. By comparison, last year’s used 2012 Mini Cooper was estimated to be worth roughly $14,000. The increase in car prices, along with general inflation and budget increases, has led the library to raise the price of each ticket from $5 to $25.

With a few exceptions, like the 1937 Chevy five-window Coupe donated by Bill and Mary Gawel at the first car raffle in 2002, the raffled cars are found at shops around the state by a volunteer group affiliated with the library and tasked with locating possible prizes. They call themselves the “Car Guys.”

A second prize of a pair of e-bikes has been added for the first time this year, an attraction for younger or more environmentally aware patrons. With miles of bikeable terrain in Kent and much more within striking distance, lucky winners can explore gasoline-free and  without knowing how to use a stick shift.

Library officials anticipate that the volunteer-run event will create revenue of nearly $30,000, a fraction of its $225,000 annual fundraising campaign. As an association library, KLM relies on local funding, providing a vital service to the town with books, workshops and activities, employment, and a sense of community.

Library Director Sarah Marshall stated that, while helpful, the library’s enterprise “does not exclusively rely on the car raffle.” One-third of its funding comes from the Town of Kent, with the remaining two-thirds, the $225,000, raised through membership drives, the book sale, donations, and special events like the car raffle.

In comparison with other Connecticut libraries, the Kent Memorial Library places fifth from last in terms of the total funding it receives from the state of Connecticut. Yet, it ranks first in many categories. Not only is it able to raise the most money per capita, it also has the most children’s programs per capita and number of volunteers per capita of any library in the state.

The programs offered require funding, staffing and budget allowances, contributing to the library’s need for volunteers and donation opportunities.

First opening in 1921, and initially sharing a space with the Kent Fire Department, the Library’s roots were planted in 1915, taking six years to transform from idea to reality. Instead of becoming a public library, the founders decided to maintain their autonomy and become a privately funded, free public reading and educational facility for residents, also known as an “association library.” Still true today, the Kent Memorial Library continues to be governed by its members.

This approach offers the benefits of self-reliance and an ability to evolve with the desires of the community it creates. But it also requires creative thinking and the support of many to keep the library, and libraries like it, flourishing.