Community Corner

Bileau's Gift Basket Raffle Benefits Because He Lives Ministries

Flower shop has donated two 27-gallon totes of gifts for Christmas Eve raffle.

Bileau's Flowers at 665 Diamond Hill Road back in action this Christmas, with two 27-gallon gift baskets waiting the winner of this year's Christmas Eve raffle benefitting Because He Lives Ministries. 

The raffle, $1 for one chance to win, or $5 for six chances, is an annual fundraiser for Because He Lives, a soup kitchen run out of the basement of All Saints Parish at 323 Rathbun St. by Pat Dempster. The kitchen has been feeding locals in need for more than 25 years. 

Last year, the fundraiser brought in $1,907. The year before that, they raised $1,672, said Bileau's co-owner Jeanne Bis. Three years ago, they raised $1,543. 

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This year, Bis is hoping to break $2,000 and keep on the fundraiser's rising streak. "Oh, we're trying," Bis said, "But you know what? You know that times are tough." Bis said people are buying fewer tickets than before, and she can tell a lot of people are struggling this year.

"I couldn't pull this off without the tremendous help of the community," Bis said. She noted the help of Jonn Dionne's show on WNRI with announcements, and tickets sold by Paul's Family Restaurant and the Burrito Company, to name just a few. "That's how we get things done," Bis said.

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