The Raffle

Last year Hunter got all excited about a fundraiser his school did selling overpriced items.  I had a hard time turning him down as he begged me to let him do it.  Several people in the ward and family purchased things to help Hunter and it changed my view of these things that I loath.  It wasn’t about the worthless “stuff.”  It was about supporting the poor salesman/woman and her mom.  I decided to be more charitable when the ball rolled around.  My commitment was tested when I got an email from my nursery leader asking if I would like to purchase raffle tickets from her daughter Keira for a karate fund raiser.  “In this case, I don’t even get the junk” I thought to myself.  I delayed for about two weeks.  Finally, I sat down and emailed Lesley.  I told her I would buy four tickets at $5 each.  She replied that she had just four left.  RJ asked what the prize was and I told him it didn’t matter, we were just supporting Keira.

The raffle came and went and I looked at the ticket pinned to my calendar.  I wondered if I had to be present but read that I didn’t and the winners would be posted on line.  I wasn’t even going to look but decided I might as well.  All they had were last years winners (most of whom got small gift cards for haircuts and coffee).  I called Lesley and she said that the winners were posted on the door and she didn’t recognize anyone’s name but to check on line in a few days.

While I was at a play date, I heard my phone ring but let it go.  On my way home I listened to the message.  As soon as I heard the name, I tried to place it “Oh, is that the stake primary president or the volunteer coordinator from Hunter’s school?”  When I heard the word raffle and Keira, I thought, “Wow.  Did we win a $10 gift card to Target?”  Then the words “Grand Prize and $2,200 Delta vacation” followed.  I was so excited I didn’t know what to do with myself.  I wanted to be like those crazy women on the radio who scream and go wild but I had to make sure that I heard right and I had Reagan and McKenna in the car who would not understand.

I got in touch with the woman who called, picked up the tickets and got my picture taken to prove than people actually win these things.  I called Lesley first thing to tell her how excited I was and to thank her and Keira.  I had to leave a message and am sad to say that when she found out, she was not happy.  She wanted it to be her.  Hunter and Mckenna sang the same tune when we found out that the trip included two roundtrip tickets and $1,200 for two nights in a hotel (do $600/night hotels exist?) and they would not be going.

RJ and I have decided to go to Hawaii this summer.  We can’t wait and can’t believe that we actually won something!