I need to get some input on holding a raffle for a good cause. I have made a quilt and held a raffle for it for our local school when it got burned down by some teens. This was all in our local area and worked out fine.
The one I need advice on is for my son's friend. My son is currently stationed in Gulfport, MS. One of his co-workers has been dealt a big hand. His mom passed away unexpectedly and had let her life insurance expire. She was a widow as well. He is an only child and this has been left upon his shoulders to carry the burden. He will have her cremated as it will be cheaper and does not have enough money to take care of all the expenses just now. Of course, the command took up a collection a few times. My son donated $45 the first time and when they counted the monies this morning, they have $80-I know money is tight and times are hard, but this hurt my son so much that he threw more money in. This money is to help the guy survive after he gives over his paycheck for the cremation.
I have offered to donate a quilt for a raffle tto raise money. the guys in his command were all for this, however, they think I should raffle the quilt where I live. I live in a small farming community where noone is going to know this gal (I don't even know where she was from).
I talked to my boy this morning about it and told him my thought is that it would be better to raffle it off where she was from. I don't know what else to do. Any suggestions are appreciated.

some places are very picky about raffles

Maybe send the quilt to your son and have each of the co-workers a raffle ticket or two to help out their co-worker. The quilt would make a wonderful gift for anyone's mother, wife, etc. These guys (gals) know the poor young man and I would think they would be more inclined to help him out. People, especially in a poor area or who did not know this woman, may be more reluctant in these hard times to donate a large sum of money, but a lower priced raffle ticket should be within their means. Sorry. Got very wordy.

You need a large pool of ticket buyers to have a successful raffle. The raffle also has to be legal in the state in which it is conducted.

I think it would be difficult to hold a successful raffle for this in your small farming community. Raffles work best within large communities that are related to the cause. If your son's office is not large enough, maybe there are co-workers whose churches would be willing to help raffle off tickets? You mention the word "stationed"; if this is an armed forces unit, I would think that would work as a large community related to the cause.

After you send the quilt to your son have him contact the local media. Write press release send to all tv, radio and newspapers with pictures also try various internet sites like facebook etc. They may pick up on it on a slow day. Set ending date for ticket sales.
Good Luck.

If you can find a couple of craft shows or bazaars in either area, ask permission to display and sell tickets.

Make a public service announcement...check with the newspapers...tell hi$ $tory and I'll bet you"ll touch a lot of heart$tring$.

there are LOTS of very stringent rules in regards to raffles. you have to get a permit from where ever you are going to have the raffle. you have to actually print tickets, have a set date for the drawing, set price for tickets and sometimes it is the way to go...sometimes it winds up costing more than it should. you need to start with checking with local 'rules' 0r where she was from if you want to try to do it there. apply for the permit, and go from there. i do think once you have permission, your permit, and printed tickets you can sell them anywhere, you could post pics on a blog or where ever and offer tickets which would give you a much larger (audience) to sell to outside your rural community. good luck, but check with the local authorities so you don't get into trouble...the consequenses of not following the 'raffle rules' can be extreme, it is considered a crime!

This is true, but most places are gracious if it is for a good cause. Some times if you offer a small gift for purchasing a ticket (candy cane or hard candy usually works), it is considered a purchase, but check first.

I suggest you try to get some more donations. The quilt, a gift basket, certificate for a free meal, that type thing. Sell tickets in all the places, your area, her area, son's area. When you have the drawing start with a drawing for the smallest prize, and work you way up to the largest (quilt) prize. People are usually willing to purchase tickets if there is more than one opportunity to win.

Have thought about using Ebay to have a fund raising auction for your son's friend? There are several ways to do these auctions. I would be very willing to donate items to help.