More than 8,000 Catholic students are celebrating the nearly million-dollar impact they generated for their schools this year — one $10 raffle ticket at a time.
On Thursday, schools tuned in to see the results of their 6-week sales efforts announced live by Catholic United Financial, who has teamed with schools on the raffle initiative since 2009. From the more than 95,000 tickets sold and mixed in a 9-foot drum, 13 winners were hand-selected to win cash prizes. (Click here to view the list of prize winners.)
In the St. Cloud diocese, students in participating schools raised $141,540. The $20,000 grand prize-winning ticket was sold by second-grader Lacey Able, a student at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School in St. Cloud.
Grand prize winner Jason Bredenberg, a member of St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Brooklyn Park, said he generally is not that lucky. He won the grand prize having purchased only one ticket. He plans to put the money away for now and do some traveling next year.
“We plan to take a trip to Europe with [the money],” he said. “We didn’t want to pay bills with it, that’s no fun!”
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton principal Kelly Vangsness is thankful for the tremendous support from the parishes, helping the school raise $11,500 during this year’s raffle.
“Every dollar stays with our school thanks to Catholic United Financial which makes a big difference for us,” Vangsness said. “As a staff, we talk to the students about doing what we can to make our community a better place. The student and family who sold the winning ticket went above the number they had to sell because they knew how much it would help our school community.”
For Catholic United Financial, the program is more than the $959,266 grand total raised or the joy experienced by the winners. It’s a chance to celebrate the students, who bring the not-for-profit’s core mission to life.
“Our purpose and the schools’ purpose are the same — helping families build a stronger future, grounded in faith,” said Nate Lamusga, director of mission engagement for Catholic United Financial. “We want these schools to focus on their own priorities, then we work with them to make their vision a reality.”
Each of the 50 participating schools in Minnesota and South Dakota plans to use their raised funds in different ways, such as:
• Curriculum materials and classroom furnishings for a new grade level being added in fall,
• Preserving fine-arts programming by adding supplies and equipment,
• Offsetting operating expenses to keep tuition affordable,
• Gymnasium bleachers to replace metal chairs.
The raffle “brings the community together for a common purpose, and that’s to help all the kids get a good Catholic education,” said Sue Berthiaume, principal of Transfiguration Catholic School in Oakdale, Minnesota. She sees her students “just drum up the excitement of being in the school and why it’s a good place. We’re really a family of families.”
Every dollar from every ticket remains with the school. All expenses — from printing to prizes — are fully covered by Catholic United Financial, enabling schools to make the most of the raffle opportunity.
“We take a different approach to working with communities. Unlike some organizations that just write checks, our support empowers these schools,” said Lamusga. “Students gain a sense of ownership in their education, and the families and communities become active partners in the schools’ success.”
Bishop Michael Izen, auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, experienced the raffle first as a local pastor and now as a firm supporter of both Catholic schools and Catholic United Financial.
“I remember learning about the raffle — I’m like, ‘what’s the catch?’” Bishop Izen said. “The students probably don’t understand everything that Catholic United Financial does, but they realize this organization loves Catholic schools and is doing something to help us.”
Including this year’s raffle, the partnership between schools and Catholic United Financial has generated $17.8 million since the first raffle in 2009.
“It’s a big total, but we see every dollar as another textbook, another 3D printer, another sports uniform, and another student who can grow in a Catholic education,” Lamusga added. “It’s not the dollars – it’s each family’s future.”