The high school and middle school music departments are working together on their fifth Christmas quilt raffle. With the Florida trip next year, the departments are pushing for more fundraising to help the students pay for the trip. In order to do this, the students are selling raffle tickets. The music department started selling tickets at the end of October and the last day will be Dec. 10. The Christmas quilt raffle will be held at the high school Christmas concert on Dec. 12. 

“Because the quilt is Christmas themed, we decided that giving it away at the Christmas Concert would be appropriate and would allow students to almost finish paying for their trips with the profits,” band director Dennis Kerr said. “I originally had the idea for the raffle because there has been a relative of the Hiemerman or Harrington family on all five of the trips that I have organized, and Eileen Harrington called me in the fall of 2000 saying that the Old Town and community quilting ladies had quilts for us to auction off.” 

This fundraiser will help almost all the students raise the rest of their money for the Florida trip. Not having to pay a fee or a percentage of the sale allows the students who work hard to gain double the money from the other fundraisers.

“This is my favorite fundraiser so far. The 100% profit from selling these tickets really gets you going compared to the other fundraisers. It’s easier to sell tickets because people like to take a chance,” said freshman Kade Carver. 

The Christmas raffle brings in around $4,000 to $6,000 that all goes straight into the students’ funds. Tickets are sold by the students to family and the community. 

“I enjoy this fundraiser because it really helps get the kids involved in the community. Choir and band work together on this raffle, including middle school,” choir director Stephanie Downey said.