
BY KRISTI FISH | MIRROR REPORTER — The Maumee Exchange Club is hosting its first Casino Night to raise money for local nonprofit organizations.
The doors will open to the event at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 27 at the Maumee Indoor Theater at 601 Conant St.
According to Melissa Calvin, chairman of the fundraising committee, attendees can expect music, games, prizes and more to fill the evening.
The Entertainment Network will be assisting with the casino theme and attendees can expect blackjack tables, a roulette table and a craps table.
“Paul Spoerl of The Entertainment Network has super great energy and is so fun,” Calvin said. “I know he will do a great job.”
Tickets are $30.00 for a single ticket or $50.00 for a couple and include a betting chip cup, light appetizers and beverage ticket.
Additionally, guests will have the chance to win several prizes throughout the evening, including a night at Belamere Suites and a gift card for Claude’s Prime Seafood, a Yeti gift basket, a gift basket from Barr’s Public House and more items.
All money raised throughout the evening will go back to helping the community, Calvin stated.
“We’re a service club, so it’s all about what we can do with what we have for our towns,” Calvin said. “We’re concerned about any way we can give back and make where we live a better place.”
The national initiative for all Exchange Clubs is childhood abuse prevention, Calvin explained, and the Maumee Exchange Club is always searching for organizations that further the mission.
The club has also made donations in the past to several other organizations including The Cocoon, Children’s Hunger Alliance, Food for Thought, Keep Toledo/Lucas County Beautiful, the Alzheimer’s Association, Maumee Senior Center, Under One Roof and scholarships for Maumee students.
“A lot of people, especially from those nonprofits, they come and help us, too,” Calvin noted.
Businesses that help sponsor the event are also vital to providing additional support. This year’s main sponsor is Superior Credit Union with additional sponsorships from Miss Cue and Unique Healthcare Solutions.
Exchange Club fundraisers like this and the annual silent auction are able to bring the community together and assist people throughout the area.
When people participate in the club’s fundraisers or join the club, they are able to help even more organizations in the community, too, Calvin added. That means the club is always looking for other organizations to add to its list to send donations to.
Those interested in purchasing tickets to the Casino Night and helping raise funds can contact any Maumee Exchange Club member for tickets or reach out to Calvin at MCalvin@SuperiorCU.com.
There are other ways to get involved with the club if community members are interested, Calvin added.
“Our lunches are every second and fourth Thursday. You can reach out to anybody in Exchange Club,” she said. “Come check us out, see what our discussions are about.”
More information can be found on the “Exchange Club of Maumee” Facebook page. Events, including lunches, which are held at Barr’s Public House in Maumee, are listed on Eventbrite.