You've Got to Know When to Hold 'Em

(Full blogger disclosure: I have been a paid grant writer for The Carousel at Pottstown for several years and, as a result, make no pretense of being objective about this project.)

It is an axiom of fund-raising that one of the best ways to get people to contributed to a good cause, is to offer them something in return.

Often enough, this is something donated and, as a result, everyone walks away happy.

But this Friday is a unique fundraising opportunity from which some people may well walk away decidedly unhappy.

Of course, that all depends on how well they play "Texas Hold 'Em Poker."

If you haven't seen this played on TV at some point, there's a good chance your TV isn't working, because this game is everywhere.

And this Friday, that game will be here in Pottstown for the First Annual Texas Hold 'Em Tournament sponsored by the Carousel at Pottstown and benefiting, you guessed it, The Carousel at Pottstown.

You can see the details at right.

Now I may not be much of a poker player ... OK, I am not a poker player at all ... but this sure looks like fun to me.

$50 bucks buys you snacks, soda, beer and the chance to leave with a minimum of $500 bucks in your pocket.

And, on top of it, you help raise money for what I consider to be a very good cause.

Understand, this is about more than just a set of pretty horses going around in a circle, this is about being unique.

According to the business plan drawn up by professional consultants for the group, this facility stands to attract 225,000 people to Pottstown every year.

Many of the panels that grace the carousel feature elements of
Pottstown's history or people, such as the late Derek Scott Saylor,
after  whom the carousel is named.
Carousel animals can also be sponsored.

When the Schuylkill River Trail connects to Phoenixville, making a straight shot from Philadelphia to Reading, people will come through Pottstown.

Why not give them enough to do here so they stay overnight, and triple the amount of money they will spend?

If Nathaniel Guest is successful in his efforts to establish a tourist railroad on the Colebrookdale Rail Spur, people will come to Pottstown.

When the Parks and Recreation Department completes is mini-golf course right next to the carousel building, people will come to Pottstown.

And while you might not be a carousel enthusiast, there are a lot of them out there. Ours, Philadelphia Toboggan Co. No. 9, was built in 1905 and is the second oldest all-wood carousel operating in America.

The Carousel attracted many visitors at Christmas time.

You can find out more about the project here.

If you weren't among the hundreds of people who came and had a close-up look at the carousel during the Christmas holiday, then you're really missing something.

You could come by this Friday, and take a look while you're winning hand after hand of poker.

Either way, helping to bring this project to life means everybody wins.