RafflePlan
Suggested Raffle Plan
The past way of raffling everything off at the end of the show has to end. It is way too time consuming and frustrating for people who've had a long, tiring day.
Instead we do a running raffle. All of the big prizes will still be raffled at the end. All of the smaller prizes will be broken down into about 50 bundles.
Supplies needed are
- a zillion 2-part raffle tickets
- about 10-15 small boxes (think shoe box), and a handful mid-sized boxes
- a mess of (cheap) duct tape and newspaper or plain paper
- a sharp knife or box cutter (& someone who can cut things without losing fingers)
- a digital camera and a printer (doesn't have to be the best)
- some plain index cards
- a large piece of cardboard
- sharpies or other markers
- paper clips
The Preparation
Take pictures of the big prizes. This way they can be displayed without worrying about the actual items wandering off.
Tightly tape closed any seams on the boxes. Cut a small opening on one side, big enough to accept the tickets. Wrap the box in some paper (just so it's more generic looking). Make sure to leave a hole for the opening. :-) Then cut down 3 of the edges of the bottom of the box to make a "flap" opening. tape it closed so that it's re-open-able later.
The pictures of the big prizes go on/around the bigger boxes.
The smaller boxes are sat behind or on top of the smaller piles.
The Raffles
The boxes for the big prizes stay out the whole day.
The first 30ish piles go out with boxes. Each box has on it an index card listing what the prizes are for that box [which may or may not be sitting out with the box, depending on the prize] and a number for the prize-set.
The first set of 10ish boxes are pulled at 1pm, with the raffle to take place shortly after. The 4th set of 10ish boxes goes out at that time.
The 2nd set of boxes are pulled at 2pm, with the raffle to take place shortly after. The 5th set of 10ish boxes goes out at that time.
The 3rd set is pulled at 3pm, the 4th at 4pm and the 5th at 5pm.
The exact numbers and times do not have to be stuck to, as long as there is a clear schedule and we post it. (See below)
People Issues
When participants buy tickets they must be reminded to only deposit one half of each ticket. Also, the tickets should be torn [ie. they should not insert 10 tickets still connected in a row].
Anyone who puts both tickets in the box loses out ("Thanks for the donation!"). Boxes are 'only' opened at the time of the drawing.
Participants can put as many tickets as they want in any box they would like. They may not move the box. It is probably best to keep them from touching the prizes.
People do not have to be around when the drawing is held.
The Drawings
When it's time to draw from the box, remove the index card. Put a piece of tape over the opening slot and turn it upside down. Peel off the tape to open the "flap" opening. Stir gently, and then draw a ticket.
Clip the ticket on the index card. On the giant piece of cardboard, list the # of the ticket with the box #.
People can come by at any time after the first drawing to check whether they've won and claim their prize.
Any prizes unclaimed at the end of the day will be announced at the closing, when the big items are raffled off. Any prizes still unclaimed may be raffled off from the big item boxes.
It sounds complicated but it's really not. It takes a couple of people to juggle all the selling + drawing + writing & keeping track of things, but the advantage is that you sell TONS of tickets, because people want to put lots in every box they see, and then come back later to buy tickets for the new boxes.