Chamber Raffle Bash was just the ticket for a glorious Friday night in Rochester

Ticket volunteer Bonnie Amirault sells Jim Edwards a boatload of raffle tickets for prizes such as a booze or scratch ticket basket that were up for grabs Friday night at the Chamber Raffle Bash held at the Governor's Inn. (Rochester Voice photos)

ROCHESTER - Tanya Hervey knows how to take a picture.

After all, she's a professional photographer right here in Rochester.

But we'll bet she never pictured this.

On Friday night at the Chamber Raffle Bash Hervey took home the grand prize of a brand new Harley Davidson Low Rider or $10,000 cash.

Bashgoers relax on the outdoor patio as they keep close watch on a projection screen that lists the "losers" during a reverse raffle at the Chamber Raffle Bash Friday night.

The annual Chamber Bash Raffle, a summer staple of Rochester's business and social scene for many years, was held at the Governor's Inn with several hundred folks all hoping to walk out with the grand prize.

The venue featured split seating, either in the inn's ballroom or outdoor patio, with ample sound and video set-ups so folks in either seating area could hear and watch the reverse format lottery that named all 325 entrants including the 321 noncash "losers."

Setting the tone for the merriment was emcee Matt Beaulieu, of Service Credit Union, who proclaimed the first nonwinning ticket out of the drawing around 6:30 p.m.

"Here's the first loser," he quipped.

The evening included a buffet of cheeseburgers, sausage with onions and peppers, french fries, a variety of pizzas, salad and apple brown betty and watermelon slices for dessert plus a couple of cash bars to wash it all down.

Beaulieu, who was actually insanely funny, alternated between naming and consoling "losers," hyping various raffles and giving away second-chance prizes drawn out of a bin that contained losing ticket numbers.

He didn't hit his stride, however, till he put on his auctioneer's hat to sell some high-price tropical getaways, at one point offering to "wear a coconut bra" if someone would up the ante on a Barbados vacay.

Suffice it to say, the evening went quickly, with patio people also getting to enjoy the bass beat from the nearby Garage nightclub.

Tanya Hervey reacts as emcee Matt Beaulieu names her the winner of $10,000 in cash during the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce annual Chamber Raffle Bash on Friday.

When Hervey was announced as the winner, the only drama left was whether she'd take the Harley or the cash.

It didn't take her long.

"I'll take the cash," she said.

The annual Chamber Raffle Bash, the chamber's major annual fund-raiser, was underwritten by D.F. Richard.

Sponsors included Waste Management, Service Credit Union, Frisbie Memorial Hospital, Lydall, Laars, Access Sports Medicine, Metropolis Property, The Links at Outlook, Atlantic Broadband, Edward Jones, Hervey's Tire, Independence Financial Advisors, La Corona, Poulin Chrysler Dodge, The Farmers Kitchen, Compass Home Inspections, HRCU, NECC Boats, Quality Electric, Spectex, Bank of New Hampshire, Harley Davidson and Daystar.

The media partner was The Rochester Voice.