Ashley Bennett, president of the Martins Ferry Lions Club, and member Barb Ballint along with other members raise funds for community projects during Betty Zane Days.

MARTINS FERRY — Betty Zane Days has had its second day in the city park, and along with fun activities for all, the event serves as an opportunity for the area’s community organizations to raise funds for their projects.

The Martins Ferry Lions Club food truck was open for business. Ashley Bennett, president of the organization, said the club supports a wide range of projects.

“We normally just raise our money, and it goes back to the community and any project that we can find. We recently have just repainted the stage and all the utility boxes around the park. We power-washed everything. We planted flowers throughout the community, we water them three times a week. Right now we’re just raising money and giving it back to the community,” she said.

Bennett added there is no particular fundraising goal or project they are working toward.

“We just hope for the best of what we can do. Each day we strive to beat the day before,” she said. “Oct. 14 we throw our third annual Ferry Fall Festival in the park. We have 12 to 13 full vendors. We have a full kids’ zone where we amped it up from last year.”

Member Barb Ballint agreed.

“It’s all about supporting the community,” she said.

Also present were Chuck Bellville of Martins Ferry and Lou Fairbanks of Bridgeport with the Thin Blue Line Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 100, selling tickets for a gun raffle.

“What we do is we raise money for the Bridgeport Police Department, who we’re affiliated with right now. We help them get out in the community to help the people get used to the police,” Bellville said.

Recent events include a night out days ago for students at Bridgeport High School.

“We do a lot of Shop with a Cop,” Bellville added. “At Bridgeport, we take 50 kids shopping or more. We’ve raised money for funding to send officers for training. Anything the police do, we try to support.”

The drawing will be held at the James Carnes Center Feb. 17, 2024. Doors will open at 2 p.m. with the first drawing at 3 p.m. Bellville said total prizes were worth a total of about $50,000. The guns were provided by Bridgeport Equipment.

“They really have nice guns. They really have the top-of-the-line guns,” he said, adding thanks also goes to Lansing Sporting Goods for sponsoring. Assistant Bridgeport Police Chief Darby Copeland works with the group to organize.

The Martins Ferry post of the American Legion was also selling sausage sandwiches, fries, funnel cakes, funnel cake sticks, and nachos. Sons of the American Legion, auxiliary and junior members assisted. Charlotte McLaughlin, treasurer of the auxiliaries, said other activities include raffles to benefit veterans around the holidays.

“It’s all for the veterans, and that goes into our poppy fund,” she said. “We just donated $2,500 to the veterans in Chillicothe.”

Some repairs to the building are also needed.

“There’s no goal for this event. We would just like to raise enough money to help veterans, and we need a new roof on the other side for the bowling alley. We’re trying to raise some funds for the bowling alley roof,” she said.

The vendors said the weather has been cooperative and they hope to continue to do well throughout the festival.

Among the organizers was Bill Laughman of Martins Ferry, on his own selling tickets to a gun raffle to help Angie Laughman of Martins Ferry in her fight against cancer.

“We’re just here for my daughter,” Laughman said. “Six months now, she’s going through … chemotherapy.”

He said his son is also selling tickets in Kansas. Winners will be drawn at 6 p.m. Sept. 23 at the Idle Hour, Clay Center in Kansas. Winners may claim their prizes at Bridgeport Equipment, 500 Hall St., Bridgeport.

Martins Ferry Fire Chief Tom Kelly said the fire department has numerous fundraisers to raise money for projects and to hold Betty Zane Days.

“We try to keep the fund built up so we can have something like this for the family and the kids in the community. We don’t make a lot of money, it’s just something for everybody to do,” he said. “It costs a good bit of money. It all goes back in the festival.”

Kelly said the public was welcome to visit.

“We got some new vendors this year. Every night’s live entertainment this year,” he said, adding Wednesday was their best opening day in years. “The weather is cooperating, and as long as we have good weather, I think we’re going to do fine.

“The best day I think is going to be Saturday. We have the (American) Legion sponsoring from noon-5 p.m. Kids 12 and under are free. The Legion’s going to pay for it, and we’ll be closed 5-6 p.m. and reopen, and they’ll have to purchase a new wristband,” Kelly said.

He added the band Bedrock will close out events, along with fireworks.

“Everything’s coming together real nice. I’ve got to thank my committee,” Kelly said.

Betty Zane Days will continue through Saturday.