The Portland Events Board, Outing Club (PEB), and Ski Club came together recently to raffle off a “golden parking space.” This is a dedicated parking spot in front of the USM Police Department building on the Portland campus.
“The person who wins will give his or her schedule to the Police Department,” said John Marshall, PEB vice chair. “It will be a known car.”
The triumvirate sold tickets last week and will continue the sale until the Feb. 10 drawing. Tickets are $1 each or eight for $5. Originally they considered selling a half-arm’s length for $5, but the idea was shot down due to the arm length differences of two of the group’s chairs. PEB Chair Joe Frechette is 5 feet 5 inches while the president of the Ski Club, Nate Ghiglieri, is 6 feet 6 inches, and their arm lengths are relative to their heights.
The groups negotiated with Registrar Steve Rand and Dewey Ferguson, parking and transportation manager for USM Police, on getting the parking space. They told the groups that Residential Life tried the idea a few years ago, but it did not make enough money to be worth it.
“We’ve already surpassed the entire amount they made last time,” Marshall said. Ghiglieri attributed this to the fact that the parking situation is much more extreme now than it has ever been.
Tickets are on sale at a tent in the Woodbury Campus Center as well as at Luther Bonney Hall from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the height of the daily parking crunch. Students as well as faculty and staff members can buy tickets at these locations, or call the PEB at 228-8507.
The drawing will be held at the tent at 4 p.m. on Monday, Feb.10. Frechette said he anticipates that Ferguson will attend the event, as well as coverage on GTV.
Elise Adams can be contacted at [email protected]