Winners and Wiener Dogs

Scott wins Community Basket will share it with her family.

The stands at Community Field in Burlington were packed Sunday afternoon with people clutching small blue squares of paper.

Baseball fans munched nachos and perspired in the afternoon heat as they waited for the the annual drawing of Iowa’s Largest Community Basket worth over $14,000.

Then, during the seventh inning stretch, came the moment everyone was waiting for.

“Good luck to all” said announcer Cosmo Leone of KGRS. A hush fell over the field as Southeastern Community College President Beverly Simone reached into the bucket and drew forth the winning ticket – Deanna Scott’s ticket.

There was a moment of confusion as two people stepped forward to claim the prize, neither of them Deanna Scott. One was Deanna’s brother, Nick Scott, and the other was a woman who thought she heard the name called of acquaintance Dena Scott.

The issue was quickly sorted out as Nick leafed through a fist full of 25 tickets and produced the winning stub.

Nick was holding the stub for his sister who was, at that moment driving home to Burlington from Independence with her parents and another brother.

“We called her, and she thought we were kiddin’ at first, “ said Nick.

Then came the screaming.
“I screamed. Then I told the rest of my family, and the started screaming, “ Deanna said.

Deanna, of Burlington, said she’s not sure what she will do with all of her winnings, but will probably share them with her family and friends.

The 22-year-old woman will have a lot to share. She won a 2006 Chevy Aveo, a 32-inch flat-screen TV, a DVD player, a digital camera, $400 in savings bonds and 40 cases of beer and more – all donated by local businesses.

Even though the winner was not present at the game, she will still receive the extra $1,000 bonus because her ticket was present, said Peter Harman, head of the Chicken Lip Foundation and owner of Martini’s Grille.

“We want everyone to win. We want to give it away,” said Harman.

The drawing raised over $70,000 this year. Tickets are always $2 apiece, with the first dollar going directly to the organization selling the ticket. The second dollar going directly to the organization selling the ticket. The second dollar goes to the event organizer the CLF.
CLF’s dollar goes toward raffle advertising and promotion, and provides six area high school seniors with $1000 in scholarship money. Any leftover money is placed into an endowment fund for future scholarships.

Earlier in the game, near field’s entrance gate, Miss Iowa Preteen National Teenager, Alyssa Howell, Burlington, took bets on the Inaugural Wiener Dog Race.

During the sixth inning, seven dachshunds sprinted in the outfield from just right of center to the foul line. Each dog raced to raise money for a non-profit group.

Early in the race Maggie Mae, a shaggy brown hound, had the lead, but just as she was inches from the finish line Maggie Mae turned left and sprinted into the outfield.

As Maggie Mae ran from glory, Lester, a white and black dog, crossed the finish line and jumped into the arms of his owner, Marlena Switzer.

Lester won half of the $950 race pot for Friends of Community Field.

The other half was won by Jim Wilson, who donated his share to the non-profit groups participating in the race.

A second $1000 prize from the Community Basket also was given away to Ken Almendinger of Burlington.

By Nicholas Bergin
The Hawk Eye