Yvonne and Bill Bombardier were about to call it an early night.

The couple was sitting at a table in the back of the Lakeview Center during the Dawson County Chamber of Commerce’s annual reverse raffle.

Picking up her purse, Yvonne Bombardier told her husband, “Did we miss it? Did they already call our number and we missed it?”

The couple soon learned their number hadn’t been called. In fact, it never was, and they left $10,000 wealthier Thursday.

“We’re going to Disneyland,” Bob Bombardier joked. “Isn’t that what you do when you win something?”

His wife said she didn’t know what people do with their prize winnings.

“I’ve never won anything, ever,” she said. “My name’s always the last to be called. That’s one reason we bought a reverse raffle ticket, since the last one standing is the winner.”

On a serious note, the Bombardiers plan to put the money in the bank, begin saving for a rainy day and maybe help repair their daughter’s car.

“She hit a pot hole earlier and ruined the rims,” Yvonne Bombardier said. “I told her I might buy her new tires.”

Proceeds from the reverse raffle, one of the chamber’s most anticipated events each year, help fund economic development initiatives such as the entrepreneur friendly and work ready programs. This year’s event raised about $13,000.

“You’re not only supporting local entrepreneurs that write local paychecks, but when those local entrepreneurs make sales, the sales tax revenue goes into tax coffers and benefits everybody through the county budgets,” said Linda Williams, chamber president.

The chamber has several other events planned for the next two months.

A free community picnic will be held Tuesday at Amicalola Falls State. The annual business expo is scheduled for Oct. 6, while the chamber golf tournament is set for Oct. 15 at Chestatee Golf Club.

“The business expo is one of the things we do to give our members an opportunity to showcase their businesses and services, and we still have space available in this mini-trade show,” Williams said.

She said it is those who participate in chamber activities that make the events such a success.

“Whether you sold tickets, donated door prizes or bought a ticket and sat in the audience whooping and hollering, you helped make it fun for us all,” Williams said. “Everyone had a great time.”

Door prizes at the raffle ranged from gift baskets and a patio set to a digital camera and “cold-hard cash.”