Learning a Life Lesson With a Raffle
IÑ• уþur nþn-Ñ€rþfÑ–t þrgðnÑ–zðtіþn, ÑÂhurÑÂh þr Ñ•ÑÂhþþl Ñ–n nõõd þf rðіѕіng fundÑ• fþr a worthy Ñ€rþjõÑÂt? Rðfflõ ticket sales are õffõÑÂtÑ–võ (and Ñ•Ñ–mÑ€lõ) fundraisers!
“ImрðÑÂt a LÑ–fõ†ÑÂþllõgõ Ñ•ÑÂhþlðrÑ•hÑ–Ñ€ essayist Jalen Davis dþõѕ a Ñ•Ñ€lõndÑ–d jþb Ñ–n outlining thõ many bõnõfÑ–tÑ• and a formula for hþldÑ–ng a successful rðfflõ fundrðіѕõr.
Jalen plans to study Architecture and Interior Design at Lawrence Technological University. Good luck with your studies Jalen!
“Impact a Life†Scholarship contributor: Jalen Davis
Yþu ÑÂðn hõlÑ€ Jalen Davis’s pursuit þf a scholarship award bу ÑÂlÑ–ÑÂkÑ–ng the “sharing Ñ–Ñ• ÑÂðrÑ–ng†buttþnÑ• bõlþw.
This December, I had the chance to help run, as well as participate in, the annual Christmas classic raffle that is held by Michigan academy of gymnastics in Westland, MI. The goal of the raffle was to raise money to help offset the rising costs of uniforms, travel, competition expenses, etc, for the competitive team gymnasts and parents. Every year the staff, as well as some of the team parents, put together prize baskets which consist of goods donated by local businesses. These baskets are put on display, and people buy raffle tickets and put them into the drawings for the basket of their choice. The raffle takes place at the annual Christmas Classic gymnastics meet, which is held by MAG. Some of the prizes included; a $45 gift card to Red Robin’s, a week at an elite gymnastics training camp, a chartered fishing trip, over $100 worth of lottery and scratch off tickets, and much more. All of the raffle volunteers rushed to get the baskets together before the end of the week. We had to track down missing items, run to the store to buy more tape, wrap various sized gift baskets, all while trying not to fall asleep. After many hours of creative labor, each of the baskets were primed and ready to be raffled off.
The raffle fundraiser was held during the Christmas Classic gymnastics invitational, which ran from December 9th to the 11th. Hundreds of gymnasts of all ages and skill levels traveled from across the nation to compete, with the hope of winning gold for them and their team. The massive amount of foot traffic resulted in an impressive number of raffle ticket purchases. By the end of the third day, we had made nearly $5,000! It was so amazing to see how all of our hard work and perseverance had paid off. In addition to the monetary gain we earned by running the raffle, we also acquired quite a bit of publicity, boosted team moral, and it was a great way for the parents to meet the rest of the staff. I had a ton of fun doing it, and all of the parents were grateful for the money we were able to bring in to help them with their expenses.
Honestly, raffle fundraisers are one of the last places one would expect to learn life lessons, but surprisingly that is exactly what happened. By helping pull of the raffle fundraiser, I learned a lot about how much time and effort goes into these things, and I gained a lot of respect who for the people who do this kind of thing for a living. I also was able to build my teamwork skills, as well as my communication skills, in an enjoyable and constructive work environment. I would definitely recommend a raffle fundraiser to anyone looking for a fun and productive way to raise money for them or an origination, or even for someone who needs a couple community service hours. I am so glad to have had this experience and can hardly wait till next year.