Full sleigh for raffle
Christmas will come early for one lucky winner of this year’s Pakeke Lions sleigh raffle.
Raffle convenor Ray Jackson said he has been overwhelmed by the generosity of local businesses who have donated a huge number of items once again this year.
What youngster wouldn’t want a New Holland kids ride-on tractor?
There is a blow-up kids swimming pool, numerous kids toys and games, jigsaws, Sunbeam slow cooker, cellphone, Fossil watch, bath towels, car radio, Armorall gift pack, power lock and garden tennis set — just a few of the goodies in the chock-full sleigh.
Second prize is a ham supplied by Magill’s Meats and vouchers.
Third prize is poultry and sundries.
Raffle tickets went on sale at 9.30am outside The Warehouse last Thursday and will continue to be sold at various venues around the town from Wednesday to Saturday each week until December 15, the last day.
Other venues for tickets, besides The Warehouse, are Pak‘nSave, the main street outside ANZ Bank, Paper Plus and Countdown.
A book of five tickets can be purchased for $5 or one ticket for $2.
The raffle will be drawn on Monday, December 17 and the winner published in the Te Awamutu Courier.
Pakeke Lions are always on the look out for more volunteers to sell the raffle tickets.
If you are willing to assist, contact Shirley Grey on 871 6959.
All the profits from the ticket sales go to local charities.
There have been some memorable gestures by past winners of the monster sleigh raffle.
One was Pa¯terangi couple Michael and Gladys Toomath donating all the toys from their prize win in 2016 to The Barnyard Childcare who had several of their toys stolen right on Christmas a year earlier.
“We have no children of our own so we hope the kids at The Barnyard get many, many hours of fun and laughter from playing with the toys,” said Mr Toomath.
Pakeke Lions raffle convener at the time, Ian Grey, presented the toys, including a kids’ miniature rideon Kubota tractor and trailer, to The Barnyard.
Ian said seeing all the kids’ eyes light up when they spotted the tractor and trailer was a joy to behold.
The Barnyard Childcare owner/manager Michelle Cummings was blown away by the generosity of the Toomaths.
In 2013 the raffle winner, Ka¯ whia mother of four adult children and five grandchildren, Tania Carnachan, donated all the toys to the City Mission and hospitals.
“The City Mission does great things,” said Mrs Carnachan, who, at the time, had three grandchildren living in New Zealand aged 16, 19 and 22, and two aged seven and 10 living in Perth.
One item she did not give up was a fish smoker.
“That will come in real handy for smoking our mullet,” she said.
Con Williams, raffle winner in 2010, said several of the items were put aside for his children and four grandchildren, while the rest was given to the Salvation Army Christmas Appeal.
Con is a regular supporter of the raffle. He thanked the Pakeke Lions for the work it does in fundraising for the community.
He also thanked local businesses that support the raffle.