Raffle tickets to help raise money for park, chance for 2 free tickets to Pony Swim in Chincoteague
CHINCOTEAGUE, Va. – Raffle tickets are now available for 2 seats at the world-famous Pony Swim.
The Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company is holding the raffle for the Brianna Merritt Park Fund. Denis Bowden, the Public Relations Officer for the company, tells 47ABC that Merritt was a young lady from the town that promoted kindness. However, she passed away from leukemia-related complications.
Bowden tells us “Brianna was such a special child to the community. She exuberated love and kindness and met her challenges head-on with whatever’s going to be, is going to be. She united this community in a way I have not seen in a long time because of her attitude towards her illness, towards friends, family, and her community.” Despite her illness, Brianna had a positive attitude toward her friends, family, and community. She is now the youngest honorary member the department has ever had.
The town of Chincoteague decided to create the park for Brianna Merrit. The land for the park was donated and the community raised money to get the park up and running. The fire company wanted to help out with the expenses of equipment and the ongoing process.
“The towns in the process of building the restrooms there and the parking lot is done. We’ll always be adding new interactive equipment and toys and things like that. It’s also a sensory park.”
The park has musical instruments there for children to play with including drums and a xylophone. Bowden says “it’s really a park we’ve never seen here in Chincoteague before.”
To raise money for the park, locals can buy a 10 dollar ticket for a chance to get 2 seats at the Pony Swim. This year’s Pony Swim will have the auction for the ponies available online and live in person. Bowden says the seats are right on the deck, up as close as you can get. So far, 6,500 dollars has been raised with a goal of 10,000 dollars in May.
The Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company wanted to do its part in contributing to the park. Tickets are available on their Facebook Page.
