$83,000 Raised for ACC; Half a Million Dollars Donated via NOSJ Raffles!

We asked. And you delivered. Again.

I cannot thank all of you enough!!

Our latest News of St. John raffle wrapped up Sunday night, and I am happy to announce that the raffle raised more than $83,000 for the Animal Care Center on St. John. Unbelievable! This money will allow the ACC to complete a variety of projects including the completion of a new play area for the dogs, the implementation of a free spay and neuter program and much more!

We’re happy to report that the donation was sent to the ACC this morning. 🙂

“First off we are incredibly humbled by this,” Ryan Moore, the ACC shelter manager, told us this morning. “When the pandemic hit here and everything shut down, it put us in a challenging position. As a nonprofit that relies on daily donations to operate, many of which come from visitors to the island, it really put us in a tough spot. I cannot begin to tell you how amazing this is, and our staff and Board are overjoyed.

“Donations tend to drop off in the summer anyway as the season slows, and with everything going on, I really cannot say what the next few month will look like,” Ryan continued. “These funds put us in an incredible position moving forward to cover medical care, basic day-to-day operations, community outreach programs, fixing up the shelter. We have a new outdoor run being completed as we speak, and most importantly finding homes for the dogs and cats that come into the shelter. I just want to thank everyone who participated and, of course, Aquamare and 340 Real Estate for making this possible”

I have to admit, I never expected to raise this much money, especially given the current state of the country. I am so thankful to each and every one of you who entered. I, too, am thankful to the owners of Aquamare at Grande Bay for donating such a great stay. And I am thankful to Tammy Donnelly of 340 Real Estate Co. for her $1,000 contribution to the raffle and for her continued support of News of St. John over the years.

Since we held our first raffle back in 2014, we have raised more than $550,000 which has been distributed to 12 well-deserving organizations. Together, we have supported:

• Animal Care Center of St. John
• Carolina Corral
• C.O.R.E
• Friends Helping Friends
• Island Health and Wellness
• Julius E. Sprauve School
• Love City Pan Dragons
• St. John Cancer Fund
• St. John Christian Academy
• St. John Historical Society
• Team River Runner

Again, this is all thanks to you. When we asked for help over the years, you stepped up. When we asked you to return after the storms, you came. When we asked you to bear with us as we navigate this current pandemic, you did. You all are just as much a part of this community as those of us who live here are. It’s a symbiotic relation that would be not be possible without everyone’s continued love and support. Thank you.

Now I’m sure you want to know who the winner is, right??!! Check out the video below:

Congratulations Katie!!!

Again, thank you all so very much. This is the last raffle that I plan to hold, and I am so grateful for its success. The Animal Care Center was one of the first organizations that I chose to support with that first raffle back in 2014, and I am thrilled that we were able to bookend it with another great one.

Stay tuned folks… We have some pretty big news to announce tomorrow. 🙂