MARQUETTE, Mich. (WJMN) – Ever hear of a ‘reverse raffle draw?’ It’s when you draw all of the tickets in a raffle and the last one to be pulled out is actually the winner.

On Sunday, September 3, a reverse raffle draw is being held at Blackrocks Brewery for the Mariucci Family Beacon House. They are selling 250 raffle tickets at $100 per ticket from now until the reverse raffle. The winner will receive $5,000 in cash.

Funds raised from this will benefit the Beacon House’s kitchen in providing meals for their guests at the hospitality house. Mary Tavernini Dowling, CEO, Mariucci Family Beacon House says one ticket purchased serves 30 hot meals at the Beacon House.

“When I think about going to anybody’s home, where do you always end up? You end up in the kitchen,” said Tavernini Dowling. That’s where the fun happens, that’s where all of the bonding takes place. Well, Beacon House is exactly the same way. In the morning when our guests get up, they come right in here for their cup of coffee. Before long, they are helping each other make scrambled eggs or having a bowl of cereal. They talk to each other, they support each other. Sometimes, that’s where they start to think about their day, where they are going surrounded by loved ones, great cooking smells always and it’s just a place where you’re never alone. You feel like this is home, this family and I think that those are the most important things the Beacon House really means is that you’re never alone and you’re never by yourself with your troubles.”

May Tsupros and their family are currently guest at the Beacon House and spoke one what the hospitality house means to them.

“I was riding bikes with my dad and dad took a spill and got really injured and we were able to get him home from Copper Harbor to Marquette,” said Tsupros. “My home, not their home. We got him back on Saturday. We were in the ICU. By the time we got out there and figured out what was going happen with Dad, it was 10:00 p.m. and my mom lives 10 hours away, didn’t want to be alone. We were so grateful, the lady in the emergency room told us about Beacon House. I called over after hours. They were able to get us right in, no questions. We didn’t have to explain the story. They were just so caring, so gracious and honestly, to come back to a comfortable place that was right next to the hospital has been a game changers for my mom and I and our family. We’re able to come back here for a meal. She so looks forward to it at lunch and then for dinner. Spending a lot of time in the ICU right now with my dad has been really hard mentally and emotionally and physically on my family, so honestly the Beacon House is such a blessing.”

The Reverse Raffle Draw is from 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 3 at Blackrocks Brewery. The $100 tickets also include two food/drink tokens.

If you would like to purchase tickets, you can either call Mariucci Family Beacon House at (906) 225-7100 or click here, to purchase them online.

If you want to support the Beacon House in other ways, they are also accepting donations through the ‘906 Pledge.’ That is where people can pledge to donate $9.06 for a year or more. People who take the pledge also get a ‘906 Pledge’ t-shirt. To make the pledge, click here.

For more information on the Mariucci Family Beacon House, visit their website at upbeaconhouse.org.