Lemont Businesses Create 'We Love Lemont' Raffle

LEMONT, IL — Small-business owners have been among the hardest hit from closures due to the new coronavirus. Many have had to close completely or change operations so they can stay in business. In Lemont, 35 businesses have teamed up for a raffle to help support the small businesses in town.

Each business has contributed $300 for the We Love Lemont raffle, generating three $3,500 grand prizes. The three winners will be drawn May 10, and they will each win $3,500 in gift cards to various Lemont businesses.

Tickets for the raffle are $10 and can be bought online.

The idea is based on a similar raffle in Beverly and Mount Greenwood, said Sommer Steele, Mabel's Market owner and an organizer of the event. The raffle in Beverly and Mount Greenwood has raised $226,000 for small businesses.

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"It felt familiar," Steele said of the Beverly and Mount Greenwood raffle, adding that many of the small-business owners in Lemont live in the town or the surrounding area.

"These are people and businesses that make up this community."

The Lemont raffle has raised $22,000, which will be split among the 35 businesses.

In addition to the grand prize drawing, there are also smaller prize drawings every day for those who buy tickets. Those who buy a raffle ticket for the grand prize are also entered in the drawings for the smaller prizes. Smaller prize raffles include salon gift cards, gift baskets, restaurant gift cards, candles and more.

The businesses participating in the raffle include:

• 1Happy Girl
• 3 Corners Grill & Tap
• Allegro Music & Dance Academy
• Allure Skin Studio
• Anytime Fitness
• Corner Stone Tavern
• Crossfit Lemont
• Digs On Canal
• Eich's Sports
• Fork & Spoon Cafe
• Gelsosomo's Pizzeria
• Gemini Sweets and Savory
• Generation Bliss
• Genuine Barbers
• Hamilton's Pub
• Hayes Auto & Truck Repair
• Honey Pedals
• Hughie McClafferty's
• Jilley's Boutique
• Krystyna's Jewelry
• Lemont Express Car Wash
• Mabel's Market
• Mama D's
• Motion Inspired Photography
• Neves Nutrition
• Next Mex
• Nick's Tavern
• Pollyanna Brewing Co.
• Rustic Knead
• Salon 312
• Simply Yoga
• Smokey Row Antique Shop
• Solana Aesthetics + Wellness
• The Forge: Lemont Quarries
• Wooden Paddle

So far, over 40 of Lemont's small local businesses have filled out Patch's simple online survey to let everyone know they are open and their current hours of operations during the coronavirus outbreak.

If you still want to add your business to Patch's list of open and closed businesses, you can do so here.

Read more:

• Metra Reduces Schedule On Heritage Corridor
• Illinois Coronavirus Update April 30: 52,918 Cases; 2,355 Deaths