Racing mice will help the Rotary Club of Fulton raise money to benefit the Callaway County Public Library.
Mardi Gras will be the theme for the fourth annual Callaway Cup Mouse Races, starting at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 9 at 54 Country, 400 Gaylord Drive, in Fulton.
"The support for the library is in line with one of Rotary International's six areas of focus: Basic education and literacy," Fulton Rotary President Jennifer Books said. "We are pleased to do our part in this important initiative."
Single admission tickets for the family-friendly event are $10; children 12 and younger are free. Sponsorships also are available. Mouse betting, a silent auction, photo booth, children's crafts and raffles are planned.
"The kids' crafts and photo booth were so popular last year that we're doing them again with help from members of the Rotaract Club of William Woods University," Books said. "We encourage families to come out and enjoy the evening together."
Proceeds from the Mouse Races will benefit Rotary's charitable work in the community. Last year, money was donated to the Adult Enrichment Center for persons with developmental disabilities. The Coalition Against Rape and Domestic Violence (CARDV) and Wonderland Camp were previous recipients.
During the mouse races, live mice will be coaxed to travel through a miniature racecourse at fast speeds. Spectators will be invited to make bets. Similar to a night at the dog or horse races, each person attending receives a program at the door with the mice running in each of the 10 heats. They can then go to one of the betting tables and place bets on the mouse they will run down the tube the fastest.
Along with racing, the night features Mouse Roulette where individuals buy a playing card for a minimal amount with the opportunity to win a large sum. The cards are placed in a circle with a mouse released in the center; the winner is the person with the card the mouse steps on first.
Table sponsorships are $125 and entitle participants to eight attendee tickets. Race sponsorships are available for $100 per race and include four tickets to the event plus naming rights for the mice in that race. Both table sponsors and race sponsors will get premier seating, social media advertising, $20 in chips and be included in the race program.
The event will be BYOB this year, but food and non-alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase.
For more information about the mouse races, visit fultonrotary-mo.org. For information on sponsorship opportunities or to donate a silent auction item, contact Jennifer Books at [email protected]. Tickets to the mouse races are available at Central Bank and Peak Sport and Spine or from any Fulton Rotarian.