Dear friends and fellow Rotarians,
 
We are excited to share that our “Run the for Roses” Raffle has officially started!  Our Club has a total of 300 tickets that we will be selling for $100 each. The winning tickets will be drawn on Saturday, September 5th (KY Derby Race Day).
 
Cash Prizes include:
$7,500 Grand Prize
$1,500 Second Prize
$1,000 Third Prize
 
That’s better than a 1 in 300 chance of winning, which are GREAT odds!
 
Each ticket is numbered 1 – 300. We will keep a running list of the ticket #’s assigned to each Rotary member (enclosed) and we’ll also need to know the name of each ticket purchaser and the number on the ticket.  
 
We are asking each member to sell five (5) tickets. If you believe you will sell more than 5 get back to Mike Storella ASAP and he will get you more tickets, please specify how many you will need. Some of you have already been talking it up and have pre-sold tickets. Keep up the great work!  For others, we realize this may seem a bit daunting so we have called on a few members to put together the following FAQ and list of tips & tricks to get everyone off to a great start.
 
Bottom line: This raffle is our opportunity to drive much needed funding; allowing us to continue to support our local communities and organizations as they have grown accustomed.   
 
FAQ and Tips:
How much does the M-E Rotary Club typically raise from annual fundraising events (KY Derby, RWB Breakfast & Annual Golf Tournament)?
              Approximately $40K
 
Where does the money go?
M-E Rotary supports organizations like The Open Door, Beverly Boot Straps, Essex Shipbuilding Museum, Friends of Essex Memorial Park and many others. When the pandemic put us into lockdown we were able to immediately direct $6,000 to The Open Door and Beverly Boot Straps to feed those most in need.
In addition, our club distributes $10,000 annually for scholarships to High School Seniors who have a financial need and align with our “Service Above Self” motto.  This year, a total of six Seniors will receive a scholarship in varying amounts.
 
Why should I buy a $100 raffle ticket?
Your purchase of a “Run the Roses” Raffle ticket will allow the M-E Rotary Club to continue to support Cape Ann organizations who have been most impacted by COVID-19.   Members spent, in support of the KY Derby, approximately $200 each.
 
Who should I target when selling raffle tickets?
EVERYONE…your friends, family, business partners, co-workers, poker club, golf league, beach buddies (you get the picture)…everyone in your network.  Those who you expect will give, may not and those who you don’t expect, will.  The only way to identify those who will give is to ask everyone! Some may surprise you!!
 
Can someone buy more than one ticket?
Yes! If someone is feeling extremely generous and buys multiple raffle tickets, thank them profusely! Not only does it increase their odds of winning a cash prize, but they can feel good knowing the money raised will help those in need.     
 
Will taxes be taken out of the cash prize winnings?
No. The winner will receive the full amount of the winning prize.  The winner will later receive a 1099 to submit when they file their annual taxes.
 
How will we know who won the winning tickets?
The Raffle committee created a Google sheet to track all tickets sold by each Rotary member.  Each Rotary member is responsible for submitting the purchaser’s name with ticket number to either Dot, Mike Storella or Jen Doane. The winning tickets will be pulled via FaceBook Live for all to witness & celebrate.
 
How to buy and pay for raffle tickets:
Make checks out to Manchester-Essex Rotary Club; mail to P.O. Box 403, Manchester, MA 01944. Put raffle ticket number on all checks and mark paid. It is up to the club member to collect all cash.
 
Cash: keep the cash and write a check to the club for that amount.  Put raffle ticket number on all checks and mark paid. It is up to the club member to collect all cash.
 
Since we are not having regular meetings in person it will be tough to do credit cards.  However, the donate link on our website works: https://manchesteressexrotary.org//donate ; but you must follow up with names and ticket numbers to Dot or Mike S or Jen.
We will have some capability with the square. Call Dot (978-526-8040) or Mike Storella (781-710-2475).
Venmo and Paypal: use between you and raffle ticket buyers, then write check to the club for that amount.  Put raffle ticket number on all checks and mark paid. It is up to the club member to collect all payments. 
 
Give buyers their part of the paper ticket for their records, or their number.  We are keeping a master list with every buyer and their ticket number.  The plan is to use numbered ping pong balls, a lá Bingo, for a live online drawing.
Please return all unsold tickets by August 29. Please return all sold ticket names and numbers by Sept 4.
 
Kentucky Derby Raffle Committee
Jen Doane (jendoane2014@gmail.com) 617-997-3772
Dot Sieradzki (DotSieradzki@gmail.com) 978-526-8040
Mike Storella (m.storella@comcast.net) 781-710-2475