Three local women recently picked up the prizes for the Second Newtown Rotary Restaurant Raffle.

Members of the local Rotary club had been selling tickets for months, offering the public the opportunity to win one of three prizes.

On Tuesday, June 11, young Flora Murillo was given the honor of reaching into a large bucket containing all of this year’s tickets and selecting three.

Melissa Heard was the first place winner, Peggy Uhde’s ticket was the second one pulled from the collection, and David Freedman was the third place winner.

Tickets were $20 each. The first prize winner won $1,500 worth of gift cards ($100 gift cards for 15 local restaurants), second prize is $1,000 worth of cards ($100 gift cards for 10 local restaurants), and third prize is $500 worth of cards ($100 gift cards to five local restaurants).

The winners gathered two days later at Newtown Community Center to select their prizes. Christene Freedman represented her husband.

Rotary Restaurant Raffle Chair Alex Villamil laid 30 envelopes out on a table. Each envelope was marked only with a number, 1-30. Each was otherwise nondescript. Thirty gift cards had been provided by the participating restaurants, but who received which card was still undetermined.

“We don’t even know what’s in each envelope,” Villamil said. “You’re going to select your cards,” he told the winners.

Heard was invited to pick first. Approaching the table where the cards had been laid in a circle, she selected 15 of the envelopes. Uhde then selected ten from the remaining envelopes, leaving the final five for Freedman.

Participating restaurants were Barbarie’s Black Angus, Bora, Barnwood Grill, Casa Oaxaca, Edison Kitchen, The Farmhouse, The Foundry, Fusion 25, Hilltop Kitchen, and Housatonic House.

Also, Jewel of Himalaya, Kolam, MarketPlace, Marygolds on Main, Mercato, My Place, Notch8, Nostrano, Nouveau Monde, and Osteria Romana.

Also, Portofino, Prime 111, Putnam House, Red Rooster Pub, Sal e Pepe, Sugo, Tamarind, Tambascio’s, Toro, and Vazzi’s.

Villamil said the second raffle went even better than the inaugural one did two years ago.

“People understood what we were offering, and they were excited about these prizes,” he said Thursday afternoon. “Restaurants were very eager to participate too.”

Proceeds from the NRRR will go back to the community to support local charities, organizations and programs.

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Managing Editor Shannon Hicks can be reached at shannon@thebee.com.