This 1931 Loyal Order of Moose admission ticket documents a three-day Ball and Bazaar fundraising event held by Philadelphia Lodge No. 54 from December 10-12. The printed ephemera, designated with the serial number 370767 BO, granted entry to the Moose Home for a fifty-cent admission fee, promising an evening with a first-class orchestra. The ticket's primary promotional appeal centers on the distribution of $150,000 in cash awards, detailed as 229 individual prizes ranging from a substantial $50,000 first award down to one hundred separate $100 awards. This lavish prize structure, explicitly timed as Bountiful Christmas Gifts for distribution on December 28, 1931, represents a significant Depression-era fundraising mechanism, leveraging the allure of financial windfalls during a period of widespread economic hardship.
The typography and layout employ bold, capitalized text to emphasize the words FREE and the staggering cash total, creating a visual hierarchy designed to capture immediate attention. The reverse side of the ticket further elaborates on the complete prize schedule, reinforcing the scale of the giveaway. The inclusion of Mooseheart Dividends of Happiness and Good Cheer directly references the Loyal Order of Moose's philanthropic mission, particularly its support for Mooseheart, the organization's residential childcare facility in Illinois. This item serves as a tangible artifact of fraternal lodge culture, illustrating how social events combined entertainment, community gathering, and sophisticated prize-based fundraising strategies to support charitable endeavors during the Great Depression, offering a poignant glimpse into early 20th-century associational life and commercial charity drives.