Magic in store for raffle winner

Published 10:22 pm Thursday, September 6, 2012

Surrounded by Disney characters and icons, Cathy Staub sells raffle tickets at a TGIF concert earlier this summer. The Suffolk Rotary Club is offering a $5,000 prize package to the grand-prize winner, including a $4,000 gift certificate for a Walt Disney World vacation.

A magical time is in store for the lucky winner of this year’s Suffolk Rotary Club charity raffle.

The club has offered cars, motorcycles and custom golf carts in the past, but this year it’s trying a different tack.

This year’s winner will receive a $5,000 package that includes a $4,000 gift certificate to Walt Disney World and a $1,000 VISA gift card.

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Tickets are $10 each and will be on sale through Oct. 7, when the drawing will be held at Peanut Fest.

“All the money raised stays right here in Suffolk,” said Patrick Belcher, this year’s raffle chairman. The club’s fundraisers benefit a variety of local charities and organizations, including the Western Tidewater Free Clinic, the Suffolk Literacy Council, Suffolk Nansemond Historical Society, Suffolk Youth Athletic Association, Suffolk Art League, Genieve Shelter, Cheer Fund and more.

“Last year we gave almost $44,000 to 24 organizations in Western Tidewater,” Belcher said.

The $4,000 gift certificate is enough to cover two adults and two children for seven days, including activity passes, deluxe dining and moderate resort lodging. The recipient can customize the vacation in any way — for example, adding a child and decreasing the length of stay — as long as it remains inside the $4,000 value, Belcher said.

The gift certificate, which will be managed through AAA Travel, is good for one year.

The grand-prize package also includes a $1,000 VISA gift card, which can be used for spending money on the vacation, travel expenses to and from Florida or any other way desired.

A second-prize winner will receive $500.

Tickets can be purchased at D.B. Bowles Jewelers, Suffolk Quality Cleaners, Suffolk Insurance, Richardson & Nash Clothiers, Griffin Oil and Propane, Copico, AAMCO on Constance Road, or the Nansemond-Suffolk Academy advancement office. Tickets also will be for sale at booths at this weekend’s Taste of Suffolk and at the Peanut Fest information tent.

Only 3,000 tickets will be sold, so hopeful winners should purchase tickets early.