Effingham, IL – August 25, 2026 – What if buying a chocolate bar could support a local organization and come with the chance to find a Golden Ticket inside?
The Effingham County Chamber welcomes The Golden Ticket Program, a fundraising concept created by owner Dylan Richter that combines chocolate, locally contributed prizes and the anticipation of finding a winning ticket into an experience designed to get the community involved.
The concept is simple: organizations sell chocolate bars featuring their own custom-designed wrappers but hidden inside select bars are Golden Tickets tied to prizes contributed by local businesses and community partners. Supporters know they’re helping raise money for a cause, but they also get the fun of wondering whether the next wrapper they open could be a winner.
The idea grew from a promotion Richter developed at The Sweet Spot candy stores in Hillsboro and Highland, which he also owns. After seeing the response to the combination of chocolate, local prizes and Golden Tickets, Richter realized the concept could become something Chambers of Commerce, schools, nonprofits and other organizations could bring to their own communities.
And they don’t have to figure it out on their own.
Richter is the guide behind the Golden Ticket, working alongside each organization from the first idea through campaign launch. He provides a timeline, wrapper design ideas, planning guidance and lessons learned from previous campaigns, while helping organizations work through sales locations, prizes, promotion, and the details that bring it all together.
The result is a fundraiser that can take on the personality of the organization and community behind it. A custom wrapper can showcase a school, cause or community; local businesses can become part of the experience through prizes and sales locations, and every chocolate bar sold carries a little suspense along with it.
Effingham County will have an opportunity to see The Golden Ticket Program in action this winter when the Effingham County Chamber launches a local campaign supporting the Chamber Foundation Scholarship Program.
The Chamber’s campaign will offer a firsthand look at how the concept can come together locally, including a wrapper design contest with area schools, chocolate bars available for purchase at participating locations and, of course, Golden Tickets waiting to be found. More details will be announced as the campaign gets closer.
For organizations already thinking about how a Golden Ticket campaign could work for their school, nonprofit or community, Richter can help take it from “what if?” to a plan ready to launch.
To learn more about The Golden Ticket Program, visit FindAGoldenTicket.com, email owner Dylan Richter at Dylan@TryTheSweetSpot.com or call 847-807-0253.