Any local foodies will want to take part in the Greater Old Saybrook Chamber’s Dine Everywhere Raffle for the chance to win gift cards to every Old Saybrook restaurant. The drawing is on Wednesday, Aug. 21.

Interested parties can purchase a raffle ticket for $20. Only 2,000 tickets are available, and they can be purchased at the Chamber office at 1 Main Street in Old Saybrook or by going to www.dineeverywhere.com.

There are 10 total prizes people can win, some of which are worth thousands of dollars.

The first prize is 48 $100 restaurant gift cards, which is one gift card to every Old Saybrook and The Greater Old Saybrook Chamber member restaurant. Second place is 48 $50 restaurant gift cards to those same restaurants. Prizes three through 10 are $25 gift cards to five local non-restaurant eateries.

“Things like ice cream stores of coffee shops,” Judy Sulivan, the Chamber’s executive director, explained. The drawing will be at noon on Aug. 21.

Sulivan said that this is the Chamber’s fourth year running this promotion after its successful first year. The raffle was first held in 2020 as a way to help restaurants rebound during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many restaurants were forced to alter how they did business, and many were forced to close permanently. As a way to support the businesses in trying times, the Chamber came up with the raffle idea.

The idea quickly became a hit and an annual event for the Chamber.

“It’s a lot of fun, and we’re supporting all the restaurants in town; it’s really a win-win,” Sullivan said.

Initially, the raffle was held during the holiday season, but Sullivan said it proved to be a hectic time of year, so it was moved to the summer to take advantage of the extra people in town during the warmer months.

“We’ve already had some restaurants put notes in with their checks promoting it or flyers on pizza boxes, so some of the restaurants are really excited about it; it’s a lot of fun,” Sullivan said.

Sullivan said that the money raised by the raffle goes toward supporting Chamber indicatives.