Top seller for turtle, duck tickets says persistence is key
‘Don’t be too pushy,’ said Jarred Saj, who helps organizations raise money
Jarred Saj helped sell tickets for the duck race held on July 4 in Lyndonville. Saj sold 85 tickets, the most of anyone, in the benefit for Hospice of Orleans.
LYNDONVILLE – Two local organizations are thankful for the salesmanship skills of Jarred Saj, a Medina man who was the top seller for both the Strawberry Festival and Hospice of Orleans for their recent derbies.
Saj, 37, sold 115 tickets for the turtle race during the Strawberry Festival, which is organized by the Albion Rotary Club and other community volunteers.
There were about 900 tickets altogether sold at $5 each or 5 for $20.
Saj also agreed to help Hospice sell tickets for its duck race held on Tuesday. Saj was the top seller at 85 out of about 1,500 total sales.
He had his biggest effort in 2014 when he sold 300 tickets for the turtle race. But Saj said he was hounding people too much to sell that many.
“I like to help the non-profits and my community,” Saj said. “I have the time and I like to keep myself busy.”
Saj asks his friends, and stops by the offices for the Arc of Genesee/Orleans, and finds many staff members who buy the tickets. He said the face to face sales work best. He also pushes for buying the tickets in blocks of 5, rather than one each. (You get a better price buying 5 at a time and increase your chances for winning.)
Saj started selling the turtle tickets for the first time about six years ago when Deb Boyer, former turtle race organizer, asked for his help.
She appreciated his efforts so much that Saj was recognized during the 2014 parade, and presented with a keepsake toy turtle.
Saj said there is a fine line in selling the tickets. “Don’t be too pushy,” he said.
He finds many people are happy to buy tickets to support the organizations. They also like having a chance to win the top prize of $500.
Brittany Dix, director of development of Hospice, appreciated Saj’s efforts to sell the duck tickets.
“He’s very helpful and wants to be involved,” she said. “He’s enthusiastic.”
Dix said many people sell tickets, usually maxing out at 20. Saj went way beyond that.
“It’s completely voluntarily,” she said. “He found time.”
Ducks float down Johnson Creek during the duck race on July 4 in Lyndonville.
