Most New Hampshire residents are ready for the seemingly endless snow and ice to melt and make way for spring, but one Hopkinton resident will be rooting for the thaw to come with a much more specific agenda.

The Hopkinton Rotary Club has come up with a fundraising plan to see winter out with a bang, or more specifically, a splash.

The group placed a bob house on the ice at Kimball Lake, and are selling tickets to residents who want to venture a guess on what date the house will fall through the ice.

For $5 a ticket or five for $20, residents can take a chance in the 50/50 raffle, which guarantees the winner at least $500.

“People are sick and tired of winter, and a chance to bet on the arrival of spring may capture a lot of imaginations,” said Rotarian Tony Walker. “We thought with the pond right there and very visible from the road, it may be a natural way to raise some money.”

When Rotary members last measured, the ice was about 21 inches thick. The group will sell tickets until the ice is four inches from breaking through. To assure accuracy of when the ice officially melts, Rotarians hope to set up a video camera for 24- hour surveillance.

“With it not really warming up much at all, my gut is that it’ll be the third week in April before we see the lower amounts of ice,” said Walker. “It’s difficult not having a history of when the ice on Kimball Pond has gone down. It’s not a deep pond, but we may have more ice because of the persistent cold this year.”

The club will donate the $500 prize if proceeds from ticket sales don’t reach that level.

“I think it’s very important for the club because Rotary is all about community activity and involvement to the extent that we don’t really keep any money as a club. Everything is funneled back into the community through different ways,” said Walker.

The competition is a fun way for residents to shoot for bragging rights, according to Walker.

“My sense is that there’s a bit of the sportsman in all of us, and when you’ve got a chance to win a nice prize, there’s not reason not to,” he said. “It’s a wonderful way to kiss goodbye to this kind of winter.”