Members of the board of directors of the North Webster Community Center gathered to remind the public to buy tickets to the Heart of the Community Charity Auction and Raffle. It will be held from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4. Posing with one of grand raffle prizes are from the left Sherman Goldenberg, Gary Colby, Al Abrams, Jenny Shear, Stu Coverstone, Janet Miller, Laura Eyer, Lori Mark, President Dennis Wagoner, Jon Sroufe and Connie Adams.

It is “magic time” again in North Webster.

North Webster Community Center’s Heart of the Community Charity Auction and Raffle is on its way from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4. It will be held at the center, 301 N. Main St. (SR 13). This is the major fundraiser held annually to keep the NWCC open, running and maintained.

“The event has become something of a miracle. There is an aura around it. It is the place to be and to be seen and attracts more people than the town of North Webster has population. That would be more than 1,000 buying a ticket,” explained NWCC board member Sherman Goldenberg.

The big draw is a ticket entitles the holder to entry, dinner catered by The Cake Lady, a cash bar and the ability to bid on a huge amount of donated silent and live auction items. “North Webster and the surrounding communities are so generous in their support of this event,” noted NWCC Director of Operations Erin Smith.

The kicker is the same ticket gives the holders a chance to win the grand prize of their choice of a new car, a pontoon, a motorcycle, a UTV or $10,000. Sponsors of these prizes are The Car Company, Warsaw; Main Channel Marina, Syracuse; Burke’s Repo Outlet, North Webster; and Loose Moose Motorsports, Pierceton.

Other prizes the ticket holders are entered to win are $200 in groceries a month for a year from NewMarket, North Webster and Syracuse, and $100 in gasoline a month for a year from Freedom Express, North Webster.

Tickets can be purchased at the community center office, Senior Primelife Enrichment Center, Ye Olde Pub, Golden Mermaid, Java Cottage, AK Hare & Co. Hair Salon, Jill & Jennifer’s Hair Salon, Ace Hardware, NewMarket, American Legion Post 253, Freedom Express, Laura Eyer Massage Therapist, Sue’s Creations, all in North Webster, and Loose Moose, Pierceton. All NWCC board members also have tickets for sale.

North Webster Community Center is celebrating its 10th year in existence in the former North Webster School building. Smith said, “We bring the community together in numerous ways.” During the past decade, it has been home to a variety of businesses and continues to house the North Webster Community Public Library, Tippecanoe Watershed Foundation, Lakeland Regional Sewer District, YMCA, Senior Primelife Enrichment Center, Fitnessentials and The Cake Lady. It has also hosted numerous wedding receptions, reunions, parties, community functions and other events.

A wide variety of activities and classes for all ages have been held and the center continues to bring new programming to the public. This summer the NWCC offered cooking classes with The Cake Lady, gymnastics and Romp & Roll with Nika Prather, pickleball, viper wrestling, dance classes from Deb Collier’s instructors, cheerleading camp with instructors from Midwest Xtreme, sand volleyball, rugby and jewelry making classes.

Upcoming programs for fall and winter will be posted on the website soon. Check www.nwcommunitycenter.org to keep up on what’s happening. Donations to the North Webster Community Center are tax deductible and can be sent to 301 N. Main St., North Webster, IN 46555, or can be made online.