Every 30 minutes, someone will once again walk away with $10,000 at the United Way of the Golden Triangle Region’s Campaign Kick-Off.

The event is intended to bring the community together, raise awareness of the organizations that work to support the area’s seven counties and kick-off United Way’s goal of raising $1 million in 2027.

Executive Director Renee Sanders said she hopes to see residents from all seven counties the organization serves attend the event. She hopes this year’s event attendance will exceed last year’s turnout of between 500 and 700.

“So what we’re doing is asking the community to come out, meet the agencies and while you’re here enjoy some good food, some music, and just for entertainment purposes, every 30 minutes or so, we’re going to give away 10-grand,” Sanders said.

The event will be held from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday in Catfish Alley.

Residents can purchase a $100 ticket in person, at the United Way office on Park Creek Drive in Columbus, Connor Sweets in Macon or online at liveunitedms.org/50k-your-way to have their name entered into a drawing for the United Way’s $50K Your Way raffle. During the event, four names and one nonprofit will be randomly selected to win $10,000 each.

Anyone who buys or sells 10 tickets can nominate a nonprofit to be entered into a separate nonprofit-only drawing. As of now, Sanders said only Operation Colony Cats, Contact Helpline and Safe Haven have been nominated.

Last year, United Way raised $67,386 of its $300,000 goal, leaving the organization with about $7,000 in proceeds to help fund local agencies, including American Red Cross, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Starkville and Columbus, Starkville Strong, The Frank P. Phillips YMCA and others.

Sanders said winners don’t have to be present at the event Thursday to win, though she will have door prizes for people who are present.

Between each raffle drawing, five local high school bands will perform at the event, starting at 5:30 p.m. with West Lowndes High School, followed by West Point High School and drumlines from New Hope, Noxubee and Columbus high schools.

Sanders hopes in the future she can book bands from each of the seven counties it serves, including Lowndes, Oktibbeha, Noxubee, Choctaw, Clay, Webster and Winston counties.

The event will feature at least 20 vendors, Sanders said, including food trucks and student entrepreneurs who will sell a variety of wares. Each of the 22 agencies United Way supports will also have a booth at the event.

Sanders said while the goal is still to reach $300,000 this year, she recognizes that might be lofty.

“We would love to sell $100,000 worth of tickets so that we can give away the $50,000, cover all our expenses and then make something that starts the campaign kick-off,” Sanders told The Dispatch.

Homer Beaty was one of five winners in last year’s raffle after only buying two tickets.

“I’m an old man, I’m 75. I don’t need nothing, don’t want nothing. But it’s a blessing to get things,” Beaty told The Dispatch. “And then one of these things that are going to help your children and grandkids, and it’s just a good thing. Because you’re also helping people by buying chances, so anytime you help somebody you are doing well.”

Beaty is planning to attend the event again this year and is buying more tickets for the raffle.

“Now you don’t have to go and buy any (because) that’d be less chances for me to win (again),” Beaty joked. “… I have always (given) to United Way and helped them. It’s a good outreach.”