By By JONATHAN CLAYBORNE
jonathan@wdnweb.com
Staff Writer
The second-annual New Year’s Eve ball drop generated nearly $8,000 for the Greater Pamlico Area Chapter of the American Red Cross.
The event took place at noon on the tarmac of Warren Field Airport in Washington.
All proceeds will go to disaster relief, said Lorrie Beach, executive director of the Red Cross chapter.
On the last day of 2009, the first-ever ball drop brought in $14,000. Of that amount, $13,000 was spent to assist victims of home fires, Beach related Friday.
The ball drop drew in less money in 2010, partly because of the prevailing economic conditions, she said.
Friday, at least 20 people gathered at the airport to watch volunteer Wayne Woolard, owner of Wayne’s Tree Service in Bath, dump three buckets of golf balls from atop the raised arm of his bucket truck.
Each of the balls was “purchased” by various donors, and it was the purchases that brought in the disaster-relief money.
The balls were numbered, and every number was listed next to the name of the person who bought the corresponding ball. The “owners” of the three balls that landed closest to a flag won cash prizes.
First prize was $500, second was $250 and third was $100.
The first-place prize was won by Doug Neithammer of Aurora. Second place went to Lisa Roberts of Washington, while third place was awarded to Sara Blake of Raleigh.
Wayne Sawyer, board chairman of the local Red Cross chapter, said he solicited his son-in-law Neithammer’s contribution.
Sawyer said he had asked Neithammer to donate part of his winnings to the Red Cross, provided he won.
Asked how his son-in-law should spend the remainder of the money, Sawyer said, “Wisely.”