We’re Holding Another Raffle!

Happy Mother’s Day to all of the moms reading today! Today is such a great day for so many of us, so I thought it would be the ideal time to do something I love… launch another raffle!

For those of you who read News of St. John often (and a big THANK YOU to those of you who do!), you know I love a good raffle. Our last one, held in September 2019, raised a whopping $200,000! Unbelievable! Over the years, you have helped us donate nearly half a million dollars to a variety of nonprofits and well-deserving organizations. I cannot thank you all enough.

We planned to launch our latest raffle back in March, and then COVID-19 started to dramatically affect all of our lives. So we opted to put the raffle on the back burner. Until now…

Today I am excited to tell you that we are officially launching our 2020 raffle, and it will benefit an organization near and heart to my heart – the Animal Care Center.

As you know, tourism is currently on hold here in the US Virgin Islands. But despite that, the folks at the Animal Care Center continue to love, support and house numerous cats and dogs, and they really can use some monetary support.

For just $20, you can enter to win a five-night stay for up to six people at Aquamare at Grande Bay, a luxurious two bedroom condo located directly across from the beach in Cruz Bay. And even better? Our friends over at 340 Real Estate Co. are donating $1,000 which can be used for airfare or, truthfully, however you please! Because Aquamare is located right in the heart of Cruz Bay, just steps from some of the island’s great shops and restaurants, you won’t need to rent a vehicle should you win. You can easily walk, hike or take a taxi nearly everywhere.

Here are a few of the Animal Care Center’s current needs that we’re hoping to support:

• The ACC would like to repair the front railing of its building. The cost of this project is $100 or just five raffle tickets!
• The ACC would like to create, print and distribute pet hurricane preparedness educational materials. The cost of this is $200 or 20 raffle tickets.
• The ACC would like to purchase new cat traps for its feral cat program. The cost of this is $300.
• The ACC would like to install a new, redesigned outdoor play area for the dogs to improve their quality of life including a raised platform, turf for comfort, kiddie pool, digging area and shade tarp. The cost of this project is $600.
• The ACC would like to give its building a mini makeover, including a new coat of paint, deck sealant, new plants, and building awnings for the comfort of dogs and visitors. The cost of this project is $700.
• The ACC would like to install 14 new dog houses with wheels and machine washable comfort pads. The cost of this project is $1,800
• The ACC would like to implement a free spay and neuter scholarship program for the community, including door-to-door transportation of pets. The cost of this project is $5,000.

Such a great cause. So many great projects to support.

The timeframe for use is very generous on this raffle, as we understand that many of you have no intention of traveling anytime soon. The five-night stay can be used for any available dates this year through October 31, 2020; It can also be used between June 1, 2021 and October 31, 2021.

Again, tickets are just $20. There will not be a limit on entries, because we are trying to raise as much money as possible for the Animal Care Center.

To purchase a ticket, please choose the number of tickets below. You can buy up to 10 at a time. Then click the Buy Now button. This will bring you to a secure PayPal page where you can check out. Please make certain the your correct email is used, as we plan to notify the winner by email. (All entries will be treated as donations to the Animal Care Center. Your transaction will appear on your bank/credit card statement as STJDONATION.)

The raffle has ended.

All entrants should receive a confirmation email from PayPal after purchasing your ticket/s provided you are a registered PayPal user. Because of the expected high volume of entries, we cannot personally email each entrant. Your email from PayPal will serve as your confirmation of entry into the drawing.

How the drawing works: Once the entry period is over, we will pull a file of all the entrants and number of entries directly from PayPal. The raffle committee will personally write/type the names of each entrant on a raffle ticket. If you bought one ticket, we will write/type your name on one ticket. If you bought two tickets, we will write/type your name on two tickets. And so forth. All of the names will be placed into a secure bucket/basket/box. Once all of the names are written on tickets, we will draw the winner live on video. The drawing will be announced on newsofstjohn.com. A video of the drawing will also be posted on newsofstjohn.com. The raffle period will end on Sunday, May 24, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. AST (which is currently the same as EST). The winner will be announced on newsofstjohn.com on or about May 26, 2020. Now go ahead and enter! Good luck!! And thank you for helping us support the Animal Care Center!

The Fine Print: 

• The winner must adhere to the individual property/business rules and restrictions.
• The five-night stay at Aquamare at Grande Bay is good for any available dates between June 1, 2020 and October 31, 2020, or between June 1, 2021 and October 31, 2021. The property has a six person maximum. 
• In the event that the property/business becomes uninhabitable due to a storm, fire, or Act of God, the winner agrees to forfeit the prize.
• We strongly encourage the winner to purchase travel insurance.
• The prize is not  transferrable without the business owner’s consent.