Raffle winner’s eligibility questioned
Every year, the Bayview Chamber of Commerce holds a raffle that raises $2,000. $1,000 goes to the fireworks fund. The other $1,000 goes to the lucky winner – unless the winner is Ralph Jones.
Like most years, only 100 total tickets are sold throughout the year. When the raffle draws nearer and all the tickets are not yet sold, many of the officers of the Chamber step up and buy the rest. Such was the case several years ago when Loraine Landwehr, then treasurer of the chamber, won about three out of six years. Why so lucky? Ticket sales were down and she made up the difference. This year, Jones, vice-president of the chamber, bought the last ticket, put his grandchild’s name on it and lo and behold, Vicki Richardson, newly crowned Queen of Bayview, drew Jones’ ticket. Kathy Ellis, current treasurer of the chamber, has allegedly refused to fund the winnings, claiming there is a law stating officers of an organization holding a raffle are ineligible to receive winnings. Ellis even went so far, according to Jones, as to suggest Jones should have known better.
Jones, of course, referred to the previous officer winning multiple times and also questioned why, if those are the rules, they weren’t posted prior to the sale, rather than after? Should Landwehr be required to refund her past winnings?
It would appear that the defining difference this year over the past are the personalities involved, rather than the situation. Jim MacDonald, president of the chamber, is backing Ellis’ decision. “I hold the winning ticket, the precedent has long been set by previous officers winning, I won fair and square,” Jones said. Landwehr is a CPA and a former auditor of many nonprofit organizations. “Many organizations have policies that prohibit members or employees from participating in drawings and other contests,” Landwehr said. “There is, however, no law that prohibits them from buying a ticket in good faith, drawing the winner in an honest open drawing. I myself have won several times when I was an officer of the chamber.”
Hopefully, common sense will prevail. The latest word is that legal opinions are being sought.
On the whole, however, many people seem to feel that Bayview had the most successful Bayview Daze Celebration ever. The parade was larger and everyone agreed that the National Guard Band made a huge difference.
Parade organizers have vowed to bring a band in next year if at all possible. The fireworks, managed by pyrotechnician Kermit Elmore, were magnificent. Elmore explained that it is a group effort on the part of many that makes the whole celebration possible.
The criteria for the Queen of Bayview contest were a bit different than most contests of this nature. Instead of concentrating on youth and beauty, as most do, Jones, who is also the Bayview Daze director, said, “(ages) 8 to 80 are eligible. We want an essay on what the candidates like about Bayview, (and) a period costume of the candidate’s choice. We want a promoter of Bayview events and we want to see some fundraising for the fireworks and other Chamber needs.”
He got that which he desired. Richardson was so qualified for the position, she scared off all the other hesitant candidates. She personally raised more than $1,200 during the period preceding Bayview Daze. She presented herself in a costume that she made herself, depicting Laura of “Little House on the Prairie” at a chamber meeting.
Long live the Queen.