DUNMORE, Pa. — It is the Summer of the Inflatable, but at Dunmore Appliance, it is the "summer of fundraising." Back for a second year, the family-owned appliance store in Lackawanna County is partnering with Whirlpool to raffle off a washer and dryer while raising money for Go Joe and St. Joseph's Center.
"It is a little different because Joe doesn't need a washer, but it was very nice of Whirlpool to still want to donate to the great cause," said Nicole Gillette, Dunmore Appliance.
This time last year, Joe's washing machine broke. Employees at Dunmore Appliance knew how much Joe loves a bit, so they took that bit and ran with it, raising money for St. Joseph's Center by collecting the money inside Joe's washing machine while raffling off a new one.
Raffle tickets are $1, but you are encouraged to donate as much as you want. You can get them at Dunmore Appliance, this weekend at Bucktown Music Fest or along the route the week of Go Joe. The winner of a brand new Maytag washer and dryer will be announced on the last day of the St. Joseph's Festival.
"To us as long as we've been around, it is very important to support everybody in the community and to help each other out when you need a helping hand," Gillette said.
So, that's not the only fundraiser happening at Dunmore Appliance right now. Employees heard St. Cats and Dogs of Nay Aug Zoo is in desperate need of a new washing machine, specifically a commercial-grade one, so they stepped in. They partnered with Speed Queen, splitting the cost and buying the animal rescue in Scranton this washer. And now they're raising money for a dryer.
"It's a front load speed queen dryer, so we're trying to get the funds for that to be able to get them a matching set,"
"The smallest donation is the biggest of help because, with 170 cats, we're buying food constantly and litter. Anybody that can support us with a washer, dryer, anything like that is very important to us," said Joanne Davis, St. Cats and Dogs of Nay Aug Zoo.
If you want to donate to St. Cats and Dogs but can't get to Dunmore Appliance to do so in person, click here.
The winner of the Go Joe washer and dryer will be announced on the last day of the St. Joseph's Festival. Whirlpool has also agreed to donate $25 for every Whirlpool washer/dryer set sold at Dunmore Appliance through the end of July.