Would you believe me if I wrote that our first thought in planning a raffle did not have to do with raising funds, but rather to have fun? And that the inspiration comes from somewhere I had never even heard of until a volunteer found out about it from the Stephen Colbert Show?

Since 1917, residents in a small village in Alaska, Nenana, have guessed when the ice breaks up on the river and have purchased raffle rickets. In fact, the Nenana Ice Classic’s holds the number two raffle license in the state of Alaska. The lottery is based on when the spring thaw will melt the ice enough to knock over a tripod posed in the middle of the Nenana River which is in Interior Alaska. Listening to the story about a community eagerly and anxiously awaiting and dreaming of spring is definitely relatable. And not just because we are usually dreaming of spring in Wisconsin, too. If you have been in downtown Monroe the last 20 months, you have likely been commenting on something specific no matter the season.

Almost every day, I am asked about or overhear people discussing the courthouse project. If it is someone from out of town, the general comment about a “big project” is usually followed with a question about wondering exactly what is being done. I have enjoyed reading Noreen Rueckert’s columns on the project and the history of the courthouse since the project started in September 2021. Originally, it was only supposed to take nine months to complete.

As you likely know, when contractors began opening the building up to complete masonry work, significant damage to interior portions of the walls was discovered. And, so, the scope of the work expanded and expanded. Comments late last summer focused on Cheese Days and how the project would surely be done in time for it. But here we are. Scaffolding can still be found on the south side of the courthouse and the clock tower is less than half its normal height as it is being rebuilt. The project has been funded by Green County’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, including $2.7 million for the clock tower.

So, if you have been wondering or guessing with friends and family about when it is going to be done, now is your chance to win! Main Street Monroe is selling 50/50 raffle tickets through the month of May. Guess the date and time of when the scaffolding will be gone and the clock tower will chime for the first time and you get to split the pot. Ticket sales end at 5 p.m. on May 31st so it is likely to be sometime after that. So far, people have picked dates because of birthdays and anniversaries. My older brother has a December birthday, and my younger brother has a January birthday. If I could buy a ticket, I would likely not go with either one.

Winners in Nenana last year split a pot of about $250,000. Full disclosure: I’m quite confident ours will not be anywhere near that. But after all the work is done, the courthouse will be good to go for at least the next 80 years which makes this raffle a once in a lifetime opportunity. Plus, the chance to win money by guessing the official completion and the bragging rights that come with that over a project that has kept us all guessing is sure to bring a smile to your face.

Tickets are available at 213 Mercantile, The Local Joint, Toy Haus, and Luecke’s Diamond Center and are $3 each.

—  Jordan Nordby is the executive director for Main Street Monroe. He can be reached at MonroeMainStreet@tds.net. Complete details on Main Street Monroe and its efforts can be found at mainstreetmonroe.org.