Brownwood Big Brothers Big Sisters have launched what may be the local organization’s most ambitious fund-raiser in its three years in Brownwood.
The fund-raiser, called “Wheels and Deals,” is a reverse raffle, and the person holding the last of the possible 750 tickets drawn at the event Oct. 9 at the Brownwood Country Club, will receive a brand new car or truck. The winner’s choices include a Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Equinox or Dodge Ram quad-cab truck.
BBBS board members have tickets for the reverse raffle, as do both the Early and Brownwood area chambers of commerce offices. Underwood’s, several banks and the three car dealerships carrying one of the prize vehicles will also have tickets available. Adults who are 18 or older and make a $100 donation to BBBS will receive a ticket that will be put in the hopper for the drawing. For each additional $100 donation, the donor will receive another ticket.
Donors will not have to be present at the Oct. 9 event to win, according to BBBS executive director Shane Blackshear, but he said, after attending a similar event in Big Spring, it’s a fun and exciting night and the name “Wheels and Deals” is a fitting one.
Blackshear said that the 750 tickets are all put in a hopper and drawn one-by-one. When it gets down to the final 10 entries, deals start being made. An audience member can make a bid for one of the final tickets. If the ticket holder sells his chance to a bidder, he or she may keep all but 10 percent of the amount bid. By law, 10 percent will need to be donated back to the host agency, which is BBBS. Finally, the ticket holder with the last ticket drawn is the winner of the new vehicle.
“The purpose is to raise funds to help sustain a wonderful organization that is doing life-changing work as one-on-one mentors to young people in our community,” said Leonard Underwood, a BBBS board member.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Brown County is a 501-3C charitable organization. To make a donation and become a ticket holder, call or visit the local BBBS office weekdays at 325-643-5600. The office is located up the stairs and on the left at the Family Services Center.