How to Measure a Raffle’s Success
Mðnу thanks tþ Elias Soell fþr a particularly wõll thþught þut ðnd informative “Impact a LÑ–fõ†ÑÂþllõgõ scholarship essay thðt hÑ–ghlÑ–ghtÑ• how and whу ѕõllÑ–ng raffle tÑ–ÑÂkõtÑ• as a school fundrðіѕõr is a grõðt way tþ raise money for a worthy cause.
Elias outlines ѕþmõ wonderful ðnd рõrѕþnðl rõðѕþnÑ• as tþ whу holding a rðfflõ Ñ–Ñ• not þnlу a grõðt fundrðіѕіng þррþrtunÑ–tу but also offers several specifics on how a raffle benefited a good cause.
Elias will attend the University of Nebraska to pursue Broadcast and Sports Journalism. Thanks again Elias, and best of luck with your studies!
“Impact a Life†Scholarship contributor: Elias Soell
Yþu ÑÂðn hõlÑ€ Elias Soell’s pursuit þf a scholarship award bу ÑÂlÑ–ÑÂkÑ–ng the “sharing Ñ–Ñ• ÑÂðrÑ–ng†buttþnÑ• bõlþw.
I can remember when I was 9 years old watching storm chasers going after tornadoes and thinking that was so cool. In June 2008, my opinion changed. I was watching television with my dad when the local news cut in to report a tornado had hit the city of Chapman, Kansas. This is my mom’s hometown….and where my Grandpa and Grandma still lived. We heard the weatherman report of major damage and at least one death.            We were relieved to find out that my Grandpa and Grandma were ok as was their house. The next morning my family drove to Chapman and saw the damage first hand. A good half the town was hit. Many homes destroyed and the all three schools were damaged. The elementary school was demolished. After helping out as much as we could we returned back home to Shawnee, KS, a suburb of Kansas City.
We made several more trips back to assist. One thing that stood out most to me was that the elementary school would consist of trailers. I was thinking “Wow….no playground, no real class rooms.†I felt bad for them. I talked to my parents about what more we could do to help them. We came up with an idea to hold a raffle at back to school night at Horizon Elementary school in Shawnee. My principal gave us her approval and we started the process.  My mom had taken a number of photos of the damage done to the city. After buying a poster board, we created a presentation that included numerous photos of the damage, especially to the school. My mom then took me to the local Shawnee restaurants and businesses. Using the board we put together, we asked those owners to support this raffle with prizes. We secured numerous gift card donations. With their cooperation we were a go for back-to-school night. My goal was to reach $500.
Back-to-school night came and I set up my raffle stand and many bought tickets. The raffle got excellent support for those who came that night. The prizes were awarded and it was a successful raffle. The one problem was that not as many parents came that night. We only raised $300. Thanks to the generosity of family, friends, and neighbors the additional $200 was raised. The money was then brought to Chapman and given to the superintendent.
That is where I thought the story would end on my raffle experience. It did not end there. The 4th grade students at Chapman sent letters to our 4th grade class at Horizon. My teacher, Ms. Karlin, came up with the idea that we would be pen pals with the Chapman 4th graders. What turned out to be a raffle to help raise funds for play ground equipment evolved into our 4th grade class having a year-long pen pal experience with Chapman’s 4th grade class.
As I moved into high school, raffles continued to be part of fund raising opportunities that I participated in to help raise money for our basketball program and broadcast journalism group. We have held numerous 50/50 raffles at football games and auctioned off sports memorabilia. But nothing comes close to that raffle in 2008. By the time 2009 school year started, Chapman had built a new school. But that 2008 year will never be forgotten. I believe our raffle was a difference maker. It may not have been a financial windfall but sometimes the benefit can’t always be measured in monetary figures.