Raffle New #2

Dear Mmakau Bike Raffle Donors,

We have decided to stop donations to the Mmakau bike raffle sp please do not sent any more money to Paypal.  With the funds donated to date and two pending donations, we expect to be able to add over ten bikes to the raffle.  This part of the project has been a big success.  Thanks to all those who donated.

For those who were intending to donate but did not get to it yet, we appreciate that you would have contributed eventually.  For those of you who elected to pass, we understand that there are priorities.

Initially we had intended to have no limit for the donations but as we have progressed in the raffle we decided to cap these contributions.  The reason is that raffle ticket sales by village children and by Tsogo Secondary School students have been disappointing.  Of the 750 school children in Grades 3 to 7 eligible to buy tickets, only 76 have purchased tickets so far.  It takes 85 tickets to add one more bike to the raffle.  We have explained the raffle to all the kids and, although many say they are going to buy a ticket, few do.  We are perplexed by this lack of follow through which, quite honestly, is common here.

During the first week that the Tsogo class leaders agreed to sell tickets to be donated to needy village kids, they sold one ticket.  Tomorrow we will address the assembled Tsogo learners again in an attempt to interest them in this donation.  Whether or not these teenagers get behind the effort remains to be seen.

So the reason we are stopping donations is because we did not want this raffle to be entirely one sided.  As it is, the donated bikes will well outnumber those provided by raffle ticket sales.  We will continue on hoping things will improve on the local level.  Regardless, it will be a success because of friends and family who gave.  Thanks.

Gary and Merideth