RAFFLE: a means of raising money by selling numbered tickets, one or some of which are subsequently drawn at random, the holder or holders of such tickets winning a prize.

BB and I support local businesses and organizations whenever we can. One way we do this is by participating in raffles and similar fund-raising events.

Recently BB and I discussed the many raffles we participated in this year and laughed at our lack of winnings. I decided to review our year in Alaska by revisiting the raffles.

The raffles won:

Score: Raffles: 14 Alaska Sisters: 2

NOTE: If the raffle is mentioned in a previous post I noted the posting date in parentheses.

The Great Alaska Quilt Show

One Saturday last September we were looking for something to do. We saw a notice in the Anchorage Daily News (ADN) about the Great Alaska Quilt Show put on by the Anchorage Log Cabin Quilters. BB and I enjoyed looking at the quilts at the State Fair so we decided to go. There were lots of beautiful quilts. We purchased tickets for a quilt up for auction. No surprise when I say we do not have a new quilt decorating one of our beds!

Besides seeing beautiful quilts, two other fun things happened.

I found out about Dave Allgood. He is a news anchor and journalist. His stories are produced under the "Allgood News" franchise he's built over several decades in radio and TV. Dave says "Everybody has a story, what's yours?" Dave was there creating an Allgood News feature on the Quilt Show. I see Dave's posts on NextDoor and on the local news.

Someone recognized me! Terri from Pilates class at the Y came up to say hello. Wow! In Anchorage 4 or 5 weeks and I run into someone I know!

2023 Fur Rondy Raffle

Multiple posts in February and March document the fun we had attending Fur Rondy activities. Proceeds from the raffle helped make all those activities possible. This raffle had multiple prizes we would have loved to win, including two round trip tickets on Alaska Airlines. We didn't win any of them.

2023 Iditarod Winter Raffle

Proceeds from the 2023 Iditarod Winter Raffle fund operation of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. We really became invested in the race. (Refer to several posts in March). We attended the Mushers Banquet, the Anchorage Start, the Willow Start and followed our favorite mushers. This summer we saw the documentary movie about this year's winner Ryan Redington, Redington's Run, at the Bear Tooth Theatre Pub. This raffle awarded cash prizes, Grand Prize being $101,000. No prizes awarded to us.

The Great Alaska Duck Race 2022

We attended The Great Alaska Duck Race (09-11-2022) last year and had so much fun we talked about participating again this year. (But we didn't; the weather was cloudy and drizzly so we stayed home. Very UnAlaskan to stay home due to bad weather!). The Great Alaska Duck Race is Alaska's premiere statewide fundraising event for youth sports, education, and local community organizations. Grand prize was $10,000. We didn't win.

What I liked about this raffle was that you got to designate the organization you wanted to receive your money when you purchased your ticket/duck. We decided to support Alaska Trails. The end goal for Alaska Trails is a long trail, 500+ miles, that goes from Alaska's Pacific coast (Seward) to the interior (Fairbanks). This ADN article announces a name for the new trail, Alaska Traverse.

The Haines Bald Eagle Festival

We enjoyed Haines and the Alaska Bald Eagle Festival (11-15-2022). Many individuals, businesses and organizations donated items for this raffle. Raffle participants purchased tickets and then put the tickets in jars in front of the items they hoped to win. BB and I placed multiple tickets in the jar for a trip we hoped to win. We also placed tickets in several empty jars. We didn't want anyone to feel left out. I won one of these which was a Yukon Wildlife Preserve T-Shirt, postcards and stickers. The items hadn't arrived yet from the Yukon Wildlife Preserve so the Bald Eagle Foundation said they would mail them to me. They never arrived. I never followed up on it. I didn't really want the items and didn't want the Foundation to spend the time and money doing follow up. So I won, but not really.

Palmer Colony Christmas

Inside the Historic Palmer Deput was a Christmas Tree Raffle to benefit Mat-Su Special Santa Programs (12-12-2022). We didn't go home with a tree, but we saw Santa and enjoyed the parade and fireworks.

Anchorage Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony

Many downtown Anchorage shops were open longer hours the day of the Tree Lighting (12-01-2022). Receipts from purchases from participating shops could be used to enter a raffle for two round trip tickets from Alaska Airlines. We both made purchases and entered the raffle. We didn't fly Alaska Airlines home for Christmas.

Best of Alaska Showcase

The Best of Alaska Showcase gathered the 2022 winners at the Dena'ina Center one January Saturday. As we entered the convention center we were handed a booklet that listed the businesses participating in a raffle. As we visited the different vendors we had them stamp our booklet. Turning in the booklet made us eligible for prizes. We became eligible but not winners.

It was a fun day. The highlight was spending time with Seymour!

Fur Rondy Melodrama - Peaceful...Well It Was!

Each year members of Alaska Sound Celebration, Alaska's premier women's a cappella chorus put on a melodrama during Fur Rondy. We attended this year's melodrama, titled Peaceful....Well, It Was! and enjoyed the play, the music and the popcorn throwing (03-11-2023). We also bought raffle tickets, proceeds to support Alaska Sound Celebration. Grand Prize was two round trip tickets on Alaska Airlines. Again, not a winner.

Nenana Ice Classic 2023 and 2024.

Nenana, located at the confluence of the Tanana and Nenana Rivers, is a small town about 55 miles southwest of Fairbanks on the Parks Highway. We pass through it on our trips to Fairbanks. Nenana is where President Harding signified the completion of the interior Alaska Railroad by driving in the Golden Spike on July 15, 1923. It is also famous for the Nenana Ice Classic. BB and I bought tickets while on our way to Fairbanks to attend the WEIO games.

Here is how the Ice Classic works. Each ticket, or guess, costs $3.00. Complete the ticket with your name and contact information and with the date and time you guess the ice on the river will break up. Winner(s) share the jackpot, which in 2023 was $221,101.

Proceeds from ticket sales benefit many organizations:

       American Cancer Society
       Boy Scouts of America KUAC
       Fairbanks Food Bank
       Nenana Public Library
       Nenana Senior Center
       4 Scholarship programs
       And many other groups

Palmer Colony Days

Palmer Colony Days (06-21-2023) celebrates the city's roots as a 1930's New Deal farm colony. Events include arts and crafts markets, walking tours and a parade. Most of the events we attend in Palmer are near the Depot, so that is where we tend to park and start our wanderings. When we arrived in Palmer on June 10 we parked near the Depot. It was our first stop. Inside we found the Festival of Flowers and a raffle. Proceeds of this raffle support Kids Kupbard, an organization that works to end child hunger. We didn't go home with a pretty plant for our porch, however we did enjoy the day in Palmer.

Fairbanks WEIO 2023 Raffle

The WEIO Games were definitely a highlight (07-21-2023)! Proceeds of this raffle support WEIO's Mission, which is to promote the culture, social games, skills, dances and traditions of Alaska, Greenland, Siberian and Canadian Eskimos and those of the American and Alaskan Indians and Aleuts. This was one of the few times we were present for the drawing. Alas, we did not win the grand prize, two round trip tickets on Alaska Airlines, nor any of the other prizes.

Valdez Gold Rush Days

Valdez Gold Rush Days is a 5-day festival honoring all things Valdez. As suggested by the festival's name, Valdez was founded in 1897-1898 as a port of entry for gold seekers headed for the Klondike gold fields. This year it was held August 2 to August 6, 2023. Activities included an arts and crafts market, wine walk, historic walking tours, parade and community picnic.

We arrived in Valdez early afternoon on the last day of the festival. It was a cloudy rainy Sunday. We were interested in three events; the market, parade and community picnic. The market was quiet as the rain has driven some of the vendors and many of the shoppers away. A stage was set up by the market and we stayed long enough to catch a few songs by an Elvis impersonator. We headed over to the parade. My favorite entry in the parade was a group of 10 to 15 GOLDEN RETRIEVERS. (I admit I was slow making the connections: Gold Rush...Golden Retriever , duh).

We learn about the raffle at the community picnic. The proceeds from the raffle support scholarships for seniors from the local high school. Grand prize is $5000. The drawing was at the picnic. Neither BB nor my names were called. However, we enjoyed the food and the conversation we had with the locals who shared a table with us.

Highlands Apartment Community Events

The management of The Highland apartment complex frequently sponsors get togethers for the residents. BB and I attended The Highlands Woofmas Hour in December (12-12-2022) and the Valentine's Day Grab and Go in February. Highlands Management does great food and decorations. We enjoy attending these both for the great food and the socializing with other residents.

Highlands management had a Pizza and Desert Grab and Go in July. This event included a raffle for gift card prizes. Oh, how surprised I was when my name was called! I won a $50 Uber Eats gift card!

Friday Fling, Palmer's Outdoor Market, Moose Poop Palooza

Friday Fling is a huge, outdoor farmer's market held in Palmer on Fridays, May through August. The area around Palmer is a big agricultural area (Reminder, this is where the colonist / farmers came in the 1930s), so we were excited to go one Friday in July. We had fun checking out the food vendors, admiring the local produce and the various arts and crafts. Then we see something called Moose Poop Palooza. If you know me, anytime anything moose related crosses my path I have to check it out.

Moose Poop Palooza is a fund raiser of the Kiwanis Club of Palmer. Funds raised go to support many scholarships, Key Clubs, K-Kids, and support numerous other community groups like Little League. I'm not exactly sure I understand how it works. I think a bunch of moose nuggets are collected and numbered. (Don't ask me how!). A fireman climbs to the top of the ladder on a fire truck. Below the truck is a target. The fireman drops the nuggets and the numbered nugget nearest the target wins. Grand prize is $3,000. Once again, not a winner.

Feed the Musk Ox Qiviut Raffle

A month left in our stay here and BB and I decide we can't go back to Virginia without visiting the Reindeer Farm and Musk Ox Farm in Palmer. Sunday, August 20, finds us on the road to Palmer. The Reindeer Farm has reindeer along with many other

animals; chickens, pigs, alpacas and yaks. No reindeer raffle. The Musk Ox Farm lives up to its name and only has musk ox. However, it also has a raffle. Prizes are items made from qiviut. Qiviut is the downy-soft underwool from the Artic musk ox. It is eight times warmer than wool and extraordinarily lightweight. The drawing is in December.