NORTH WEBSTER – Organizers had promised the biggest “Heart of the Community” fundraiser in its five-year history, and they delivered Saturday. The auction and raffle to raise funds for the North Webster Community Center brought in a gross of $120,000, according to Jon Sroufe, president of the center’s board of directors. “It was highly successful. We raised more money this year than last year,” he remarked. Last year’s event raised more than $90,000. “We actually sold out all our tickets, though that doesn’t mean we turned anybody away at the door.” The $20 ticket gave attendees a chance to win such prizes as a Hyundai Veloster, donated by The Car Company, a pontoon boat and jet ski from Main Channel Marina and a snowmobile from Loose Moose Motorsports. After event costs such as some food and prizes are covered, the proceeds will go toward community center operating expenses. Established in the former North Webster Elementary School in 2002, the center houses programs such as the Kosciusko County YMCA, Senior Primelife Enrichment Center and Tippecanoe Watershed Foundation Inc.
