Big Bucks at Stake as Queen of Hearts Raffle Closes in Farmington

The Farmington Rotary Club will keep drawing tonight until the lucky card is found. And then the fun starts all over again Feb. 7.

Even though a Farmington Rotary Queen of Hearts jackpot winner picked up a check several weeks ago, big money is still at stake as the club wraps up its year-long fundraiser Thursday at John Cowley & Sons in downtown Farmington.  Continuous drawings will be held starting at 9 p.m., until the queen is found. Tickets are $1 each and go on sale at 7 p.m., on the second floor of the downtown Farmington restaurant. Going into the drawing, the jackpot sits at around $600.  The fundraiser works like this: A ticket is drawn, and the ticket holder chooses an envelope that contains a playing card. The person who draws the queen of hearts wins 60 percent of the funds collected; winners do not have to be present. Those who don't pick the queen receive…

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First Thing Farmington-Farmington Hills

Cable Program Profiles Three New Farmington Hills Businesses

Learn more about Ecotelligent Homes, Greek Islands restaurant and Grifols PlasmaCare, all of which opened in 2012.

Three new Farmington Hills businesses get star treatment in a December episode of "The Works", a SWOCC (Southwestern Oakland Cable Commission) Studios production posted Dec. 17 on the YouTube video sharing site.  The 10-minute program provides a look at Greek Islands Bar and Grill at the Farmington Hills Golf Club, Ecotelligent Homes and Grifols PlasmaCare, all three opened in 2012.  If you're looking for something to do tonight, check out the Farmington Rotary Queen of Hearts Raffle, 9 p.m., at John Cowley & Sons in downtown Farmington. After the queen showed her face last month, the group has already bumped the new total over $2,000. Tickets are $1 and can be purchased from any Rotary club member or at the restaurant. 

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Farmington Rotary Weekly Raffle Nets Winner $10,000

City of Farmington Hills Youth and Program Services director Todd Lipa estimates he bought more than 600 tickets for the Queen of Hearts raffle.

When Todd Lipa's ticket was drawn in the Farmington Rotary Club's Nov. 15 Queen of Hearts raffle, he turned to his friend Kevin Ostach, who was sitting next to him at John Cowley & Sons in downtown Farmington. "I said, 'Let me rub your head and come up with a number'," said Lipa, who is Youth and Program Services director for the City of Farmington Hills. Lipa had his choice of numbered envelopes, and inside #40, Lipa found the queen of hearts. That netted him a jackpot of a little over $10,400, after taxes.  As Lipa picked up his check Thursday, Ostach was out of town, but joined in the festivities via iPad's Facetime application. The Rotary, which funds scholarships and supports local charities, also delivered checks to ticket-selling …

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Queen of Hearts Raffle Moves to Saturday

After awarding $13,000 to a big winner, the fundraising raffle starts anew with 52 cards.

City of Farmington Hills youth and family services program director Todd Lipa walked away from John Cowley & Sons Nov. 15 more than $13,000 richer, as the winner of the Farmington Rotary Club's Queen of Hearts raffle.  On Saturday at 9 p.m., a new round starts, with subsequent drawings held on Thursday nights. The fundraiser offers participants a chance to win 60 percent of a pot that grows each week, as $1 tickets are sold. The weekly drawing winner gets a chance to pick an envelope, in the hope of finding the queen of hearts. Those who don't win receive a Cowley's gift card.  The fundraiser benefits Farmington Rotary, Xemplar Club, Botsford Hospital and Farmington High Music Patrons, organizations whose members are all selling tickets. …

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First Thing: Queen of Hearts Raffle Climbs Over $15,000

Another ticket will be drawn Thursday for the fundraiser benefitting the Farmington Rotary, Xemplar Club, Botsford Hospital and Farmington High Music Patrons.

The queen of hearts – and 60 percent of a $15,000-plus pot – remain in one of 17 envelopes available for the Queen of Hearts Raffle drawing, held Thursday at John Cowley & Sons in downtown Farmington.  The fundraiser benefits Farmington Rotary, Xemplar Club, Botsford Hospital and Farmington High Music Patrons, organizations whose members are all selling $1 tickets for the 9 p.m. drawing. Tickets will be available the night of the drawing, when one person will have the chance to pick a numbered envelope.  For information about events going on today, click on the links below. We've also included a list of events later this week for which you have to register or buy tickets.  Check our calendar for even more activities, classes and events …

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Queen of Hearts Raffle Pot Could Top $14K Thursday

Ticket sales will determine how much money will be at stake in the drawing in downtown Farmington.

Farminton Rotary Club's Queen of Hearts raffle is really starting to get interesting.  Brisk ticket sales – about 800 between Sept. 6 and Sept. 13 – drove the pot for last week's drawing up to $13,700. The $1 tickets offer the chance at a drawing to select a numbered envelope, in hopes of finding the queen of hearts.  On Thursday, the lucky ticket holder will pick from among 19 remaining envelopes during the 9 p.m. drawing at John Cowley & Sons. If the queen of hearts shows up, the winner will take home 60 percent of the proceeds, expected to top $14,000.   The evening's winner need not be present. Rotary Club president Phil Abraham said Tuesday that the Xemplar Club, Botsford Hospital and Farmington High Music Patrons are also selling …

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5 Things You Should Know Today - Aug. 30, 2012

Tonight's Queen of Hearts raffle drawing in downtown Farmington could net a lucky ticket holder thousands of dollars.

It doesn't seem possible, but the weekly raffle sponsored by two local civic groups has gotten even bigger this week.  Here's what else you should know today:  The sun is expected to shine today, but watch out for winds gusting up to 24 miles per hour. The National Weather Service predicts a high around 86 and a low in the mid-60s.  Take a guided tour of the Nature Center and Heritage Park, learn about school programs, reserve a day for students to visit the Nature Center or set up a date for a Naturalist to make a school visit during this free event. Refreshments will be served. Call 248-477-1135 or email asimons@fhgov.com for more information. Join the Farmington Rotary and Xemplar clubs at John Cowley & Sons tonight for the raffle …

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5 Things You Should Know Today - Aug. 29, 2012

Busch's and Botsford team up to teach Farmington area kids about health snacks and lunches.

As we move closer to the unofficial end of summer, families have an opportunity today to get ready for a healthy start to the school year.  Here's what else you should know: There may be some patchy fog around the metro area this morning, so check our real-time traffic map for road conditions. The National Weather Service predicts a sunny day with a high around 80, and a clear night with a low around 60.  This workshop for kids ages 8-13, held at Busch's Fresh Food Market in Farmington Hills, focuses on getting a healthy start to the new school year. Botsford Hospital dietitians will lead aisle tours to identify specific offerings for special dietary needs, give out tasty samples and more. Registration is required; call 248-427-7400 or …

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5 Things You Should Know Today - Aug. 23, 2012

The City of Farmington Hills summer concert series closes tonight, with a group of hometown performers.

Tonight marks the end of another summer concert series, as the Farmington Community Chorus performs in Heritage Park. Here's what else you should know The National Weather Service predicts another sunny day, with a high in the mid-80s and a low tonight around 63.  The 80-member Farmington Community Chorus closes out this summer concert series with a wide variety of musical selections. The concert starts at 7 p.m. at the park's amphitheater; rain location is the Costick Center on 11 Mile east of Middlebelt.  The Farmington Rotary and Xemplar clubs host this raffle each week, and the jackpot is at an all-time high. The drawing is held at 9 p.m. Thursday at John Cowley & Sons in downtown Farmington. Tickets are just $1 and can be purchased …

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