Fundraising became an out-of-the-world experience in Evans City April 18 when members of the EDCO Park Foundation and Evans City Lions Club hosted a virtual “purse bash.”

“We came up with the idea shortly after the social distancing (plan) was put into place,” said Shelley Natali, who co-hosted the event with Amy Rubinosky.

Natali and Rubinosky are both members of the park foundation and the Lions Club. Historically, the groups co-host a live fundraising event in November called Purses and Pistols: Ladies Day Out.

When Purses and Pistols Facebook followers indicated they wanted to hold a similar event virtually as a “pleasant distraction” from the coronavirus pandemic, the two groups shifted tactics as a way to raise additional funds.

Purses from Kate Spade, MK, Coach and Vera Bradley were already purchased for this fall's bash. In the event that social distancing remained in place through November, Natali and Rubinosky wanted to make sure the accessories were raffled off.

“Amy and I are constantly trying to think of ideas,” Natali said. “We just started brainstorming.”

Using virtual tools like a ticket randomizer, Zoom, Eventbrite and Facebook Live, the women said a spring fundraiser didn't take long to plan.

“It was a very easy fundraiser,” Rubinosky said. “The whole event took 14 minutes.”

Natali and Rubinosky started selling tickets mid-March for the Facebook Live raffle. The event sold out, with people from as far away as Florida buying up 400 tickets in three weeks at a cost of $20 a ticket. Natali said 192 viewers watched as the raffle got underway.

“Not everybody was able to watch the event,” Natali said. “We actually had people request additional tickets.”

To maintain the promised 1-in-20 chance of winning, extra tickets weren't sold. Winners were posted following the event. They could arrange to pick up their prizes or receive them through the mail.

“We have about $1,400 in expenses,” Natali said. “We made roughly $6,600.”

The funds will be split between the park foundation and Lions Club, according to Natali. Some of the ticket proceeds bought gift cards from Evans City businesses. These gift cards were included in the raffle to support local business.

Natali also expects to use some proceeds as start-up money for the fall Purses and Pistols event. Total expenses for the November event are around $15,000 and largely funded by donors. Initial funding, which the groups provide, is about $5,000.

Natali and Rubinosky agreed the April 18 event was successful and easy to plan. They'd like to continue hosting virtual fundraisers, even after the pandemic.

“There's no limit to what you could do,” Rubinosky said.

Planning is already underway for this year's Purses and Pistols fall event, according to Rubinosky, adding it's important to be mindful of how many businesses support the park foundation and Lions Club for that event. Including those same local businesses in the Facebook Live raffle was a way to thank them.

“Those businesses have supported us,” Rubinosky said. “If we can't support them now, they're not going to be there when this is all over.”

Rubinosky said the virtual raffle attracted attention from some unexpected places, including former residents who haven't been to Evans City in years.

It's a good way to reach more people, according to Natali. It also helps support local organizations struggling to operate within social distancing regulations.

“Everybody is hurting,” Natali said. “Finding something virtual is a huge thing at this point.”