By Mark Squibb
The cards are heating up as the Cape Broyle Church Committee’s Chase the Ace enters it’s thirty-sixth week this weekend with only 16 cards left and a jackpot approaching 20K.
Committee member Wayne Kenny says he couldn’t tell you exactly how many people have been showing up these last few weeks, as it’s hard to count heads when you’re cutting cards, but said that as the jackpot grows, the crowds have been getting bigger.
Kenny said the committee is especially thankful for a core group of supporters who have been chasing the elusive Ace from the get-go.
“We’re very thankful for the people who did come out over the long, cold winter,” said Kenny. “There’s a core group of people who have been supporting us since day one, and we’re very, very appreciative of those people. They’re out almost every week. Now that the jackpot is growing and we’re getting more people, we’d like to thank the regulars, the people who have been out all winter.”
Some folks have begun coming from as far as the Goulds to chase the ace — you’ll likely remember that a Chase the Ace game hosted by St. Kevin’s Parish some years back drew thousands of folks to the Goulds as the jackpot hit millions.
The Cape Broyle Church Committee, meanwhile, began raising funds in August 2022, and last year successfully raised enough money to purchase the Immaculate Conception Church at a cost of about $77,700. The committee continues to raise money for ongoing maintenance and repairs, as well as to pay the monthly bills for heat and insurance. Just recently, the committee arranged to have some of the historic stained-glass windows removed and sent for repair.
Down the road, the committee hopes to upgrade the church’s electrical system and install a septic system, amongst other upgrades.
Kenny said the committee aims to repurpose the building so that it can be enjoyed by the entire community, while also staying true to its religious purpose.
“We’re trying to turn this into a multi-functional building,” said Kenny. “We do have church services every week, but we also trying to expand it’s usage, while still maintaining the sanctity of the church, as it is. We’re slowly turning this into something more than a church building. We want it to be part of the community again.”
Chase the Ace is held each Sunday evening at Riverside Lounge. The doors open at 6 p.m., and the card draw is at 7:45 p.m.
This Sunday’s jackpot starts at $17,741.
Kenny said the committee is very happy for the support from Riverside Lounge, who have allowed the group to host the card game each Sunday evening.
