For A Good Cause

My neighbours arrived yesterday from an eight day cruise around the South Pacific. I was a bit envious but also surprised when they told me they were going the other week as I was fairly sure they could not really afford a holiday like that. At the time I asked no questions. It was only when they got back I discovered that they had won the trip (well, actually, they won a travel voucher that paid for the trip) at a Girls Night In fundraiser for breast cancer research. I rarely buy raffle tickets fundraising money for charities but after hearing this I might start thinking about it.

I occasionally buy tickets in a local raffle at Australia’s Largest Morning Tea, usually held around May held outside my local pharmacy. This also raises money for cancer research and although most of the prizes are small, it is always nice to win something! This year I might buy a few more tickets because, after all, it is money raised for a good cause.

I can vouch for that as I have been through the breast cancer journey myself. Fundraising raffles and sweepstakes often attract very generous donations of prizes from businesses. I am assuming that these businesses can use the donations as tax deductions as well as provide good promotion for their business. So I am now keeping a watchful eye open around my neighbourhood and in my local paper for any other fundraising competitions.

I have noticed them being run by Lions Clubs and Rotary Clubs especially at key times of the year like Easter and Christmas. I am not so keen on the unsolicited calls from charities usually around dinner time looking to sell me raffle tickets. I usually decline them but maybe I should get a bit more interested and ask for more information and take a little more notice first. I did a bit of internet surfing and found three large well promoted charity Art Unions and sweepsakes with a house or other large expensive prizes. Most of these have been running a long time.

The RSL Art Union has been operating for over 52 years and helps to support Australia’s Veteran Community including ex-service men and women and their families. As they say in their promotions, “This is your chance to win a superb luxury prize home and many other prizes while supporting Australian War Veterans”. Then there is the one held by the Surf Life Saving which is described as “a chance to win a new home! Or to design your own prize up to the value of the prize home on offer!

That means you get to choose your prize from cars, luxury holidays, gold bullion and more! What a great way to win! Buying tickets in this lottery is helping the Surf Life Saving do whatever it takes to keep our beaches safe”. Finally the Boys Town Art Union: “The purchase of a BoysTown Art Union ticket can provide the dream of a new life in a million dollar home, but more importantly, it provides hope for a brighter future to disadvantaged young Australians and their families. BoysTown runs 15 Art Unions each year – 10 Prize Home Draws and five Prestige Car Draws.

For only $15 a ticket, each Prize Home Draw gives the chance to win a home in inner Sydney or Melbourne, the Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast. First prize is always in excess of $1 million. A $10 ticket gives Prestige Car Draw supporters the chance to win luxury vehicles such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW or Audi. Our supporters help provide assistance to tens of thousands of young people in need”.

While I am not endorsing any of these Art Unions it is interesting to know what kinds of competitions that raise money for charities are out there. However I always favour the smaller local ones like the Mother’s Day or Father’s Day raffles at school or kindy or church which cost much less and being smaller probably have better chances of winning! And my entries as a form of a donation will hopefully go to a good cause.