Chicken Lip Foundation

Ears strained, and thousands of hands clutched small pieces of paper Sunday during the bottom of the sixth inning of the Burlington Bees game at Community Field.

 

The name "Dot Widdifield" echoed across the stadium, and a collective moan followed. There were no screams of joy. For the third year in a row, the winner of Iowa's Largest Community Basket wasn't at the game. "Its never as fun as when they come flying down the aisle," said announcer Steve Hexom of radio station KBUR AM 1490. The drama, or lack of, took place as the Burlington Bees battled the Quad City Bandits.

 

While 2,700 spectators moaned, the winner of the ninth annual giveaway was at Perkins Restaurant enjoying a piece of pie.

 

Desperate to contact the winner, Community Basket organizer and founder of the Chicken Lip Foundation, Peter Harman, made a flurry of phone calls. Harman even called Catfish Bend Casino to have Widdifield's name announced over the casino intercom system based on a tip that she had planned to spend time gambling Sunday. About 20 minutes after her name was called, the 81-year-old Burlington woman returned home and found five messages on her answering machine urging her to rush to Community Field.

 

"I didn't believe it," Widdifield said. After overcoming her moment of shock, Widdifield called Harman's cell phone and told him she was on her way. Widdifield said it was the longest drive across town she has ever made. "I thought I'd never get through the traffic. Everyone was going 20 (miles an hour)," Widdifield said as she posed for a photo with Harman. "Am I excited? I'm nuts. My mouth is dry."

 

She is the lucky owner of more than $15,000 worth of prizes, including a silver PT Cruiser, 32-inch high definition LCD TV, Apple iPod, $300 in savings bonds, a bike, a skateboard, a fire pit, a grill, 40 cases of beer and 40 cases of soda pop - all donated by local businesses, individuals and organizations.

 

The bounty presents Widdifield with a small problem. She is in the process of moving, and doesn't have the space to store all of her winnings. But fear not, she plans to enlist the help of her daughter and son-in-law, two grandsons and two great-granddaughters in storing and using the loot. "I always share. I always have," Widdifield said.

 

As for the beer, Widdifield said she doesn't drink alcohol. However, her Fun City bowling team buddies will help make sure it is put to good use.

 

Widdifield, who bought 10 community basket tickets from Iowa State Bank Saturday, said she drove by Community Field earlier in the day trying to hear the announcement of the winner of the drawing but left before it was made. If she had forgone the pie and stayed at the game, she would have been $1,000 richer, compliments of the Burlington Bees. 

 

Instead, Harman gave the $1,000 away to someone else at the game. "Peter Harman has $1,000 in his pocket, and it's burning a hole," Hexom announced to the crowd. "We'll draw until somebody yells. We want to hear them scream!" It took five tries before shouting broke out in the stands, and Patty Baltisberger of Burlington excitedly stepped forward to accept her prize.

 

Meanwhile, the six grandchildren of Burlington resident Glenda Hohenthaner were debating who gets to accompany her on the trip for four to Walt Disney World Resort she won compliments of Iowa State Bank. "We'll have to think about it (who gets to go). We'll figure something out," Hohenthaner said. "I'm just tickled to death (I won). I'm really excited. I just can't believe it."

 

While giving away money, trips and thousands of dollars in prizes is fun, the biggest winners are the non-profit organizations that help sell the tickets, Harman said. This year, 36 non-profits helped sell 30,000 tickets.

 

Tickets are always $2 a piece, with the first dollar going directly to the organization selling the ticket. The second dollar goes to the Chicken Lip Foundation, which organizes the event. The CLF's dollar goes toward raffle advertising and promotion and pays for the tuition of one area senior high school student to attend Southeastern Community College, including books. Any left over money is placed into an endowment fund for future scholarships.

 

The non-profits that sold the most tickets this year were the Great River Hospice and the Paw Animal Shelter. They both sold more than $8,000 worth of tickets.