Hannah Wilke
Beef Days Committee Treasurer Don Ellis presents Janice Brugman with the keys to her brand new golf cart. Brugman is the 2025 winner of the Beef Days golf cart raffle.
For 20 years, the Solon Beef Days raffle has featured a wide variety of prizes ranging from gift cards to local businesses, gift certificates for beef, and of course a grand prize. For many years the grand prize was a brand new car with raffle tickets costing $100 each.
Beef Days Committee Treasurer Don Ellis said the price of a new car has gone up “substantially” in recent years. “So, it made fiscal sense to switch to a golf cart for a $50 ticket.” Ellis noted many people were accustomed to spending $100 on the raffle, and now they’re purchasing two tickets. He added it is great to see the carts being driven around Solon by the winners.
Ellis did not yet have a final tally from the 2025 Solon Beef Days but felt confident in declaring it a very successful year.
“The only downfall compared to past years was the weather preventing us from having the parade. This took away some of the early afternoon crowd that would typically stay after the parade and eat lunch or attend the carnival,” he said.
Since the beginning of Beef Days, approximately $650,000-$700,000 has been disbursed back into the community by the Beef Days Committee with the charitable gifts supporting causes and organizations throughout Solon. Recipients have included but are not limited to college scholarships for Solon High School seniors, donations to the City of Solon, the Solon Public Library, Solon Community School District programs, Solon’s senior support groups, churches, and the Solon American Legion Stinocher Post 460.
“The committee works hard throughout the year to not only plan the event but reinvest in the community,” said Ellis.
The 2026 Solon Beef Days will be held Friday, July 17, and Saturday, July 18.
2025 Solon Beef Days raffle winners
EZ Golf Cart – Janice Brugman
Terry Redlin print – Jim Lance
$100 Beef Certificate – Leslie Kehl
$100 Beef Certificate – Keela Linden
$100 Buff’s Gameday – Delores Kasper
$100 Bluebird Café – Rich Curphey
$100 Uncle Sang’s – Tracy Hufford
$100 Big Grove Brewery – Lou Ulch
$100 Beef Certificate – Ryan Gardner
$100 Beef Certificate – Emily Schlote