Win a New Car for $10; Right? Shyeah! Pay it forward too

The Dalles High School Music TeacherMic Kelly was all thumbs up as students sold tickets at Cherry Fest in TD to win this 2023 Toyota Corolla. The students were a bit camera shy, but Mic pulled it off with a solid thumb move. Thanks Mic!

From Rebecca Thistlethwaite with edits by Tom Peterson:

Students in Hood River and The Dalles are still working toward the $100,000 goal in raffle ticket sales. The collaborative fundraiser will put money into local school sports teams and extracurricular clubs in The Dalles and the Hood River Valley.

The raffle winner will win a 2023 Toyota Corolla being generously donated by local dealership Columbia Gorge Toyota.

Billy Brost

The Dalles High School Athletic Director Billy Brost said the fundraising could pay for things such as team camps or extended training or specialized equipment that the district does not pay for.

“It speeds up the process of assisting our students and athletes,” he said.

So when people purchase a raffle ticket they’re getting a lot more than just a chance to win a new car. 

They’re paying it forward.

 “Sports and extracurricular programs teach selflessness, hard work, accountability, being a good teammate and working for a greater good or common goal,” Brost said. 

Here is a mock up of the vehicle with its wrap; The winner can choose to wrap or go no wrap, either way the crowd will all clap. Put your hands in the airrrrr.

The collaborative effort for the raffle includes the non-profit North Wasco County Education Foundation and the Hood River County Education Foundation which will be administering the raffle and helping with marketing.

Tickets will be sold by various athletic teams and extracurricular clubs to raise money for myriad out-of-pocket expenses those youth have in order to participate.

And the best part?

Raffle tickets are just $10 each and 100% of the funds go to the schools.

Teams, clubs, and parent groups affiliated with the schools can sell $10 raffle tickets to community members for a chance at winning a brand-new 2023 Toyota Corolla.

The Dalles High School Cross Country team with their recent 4A State Title

The lucky winner will be drawn on the evening of the first home football game between The Dalles High School and Hood River Valley High School at Sid White Field which is tentatively scheduled for Sept. 15th, 2023.

There will be an even amount of tickets distributed between North Wasco County Education Foundation and the Hood River County Education Foundation (7,500 in each school district for a total of 15,000 tickets sold). This will give both school districts an opportunity to raise up to $75,000 for their respective teams and extracurricular clubs, an enormous benefit to those programs.

The vehicle is being donated by Columbia Gorge Toyota at no cost to the Foundations or the districts mentioned and allows for 100% of the ticket sales go to support the schools with 10% going to the Education Foundation to help cover any marketing or administrative costs. The winner of the vehicle will only need to pay licensing, registration, and any taxes required by the state of Oregon. The current MSRP of the new 2023 Toyota Corolla is $23,023. See a link to the car information here.

Raffle ticket sales were launched on Friday, Dec. 9th, 2022 at the first boy’s basketball game between The Dalles High School and Hood River Valley High School.

HRVHS Girl’s Water Polo, they are state champs for the 2022 season! Photo by Jessica Lara

Tickets can be purchased all the way up to the rivalry football game in September 2023, unless they are already sold out. The Foundations are hoping to demonstrate to the team at Columbia Gorge Toyota that their car donation was worth it by selling all of the 15,000 tickets printed. That would mean an extra $150,000 for our youth to participate in sports, theater, band, robotics, and other school activities. Parents groups, such as the elementary school PTAs, will also be allowed to sell tickets and raise funds for their schools.

Aaron and Rachel Carter with their dog Lady at the Turkey Trot in TD.

The owners of Columbia Gorge Toyota, Aaron and Rachel Carter, wanted to make a donation that would positively affect as many people as possible.

“Certain clubs and sports tend to raise money easier than others so we wanted to give all an opportunity to work hard to earn as much as possible,” the Carters said. “We are hoping that our initial donation can be leveraged to support all kinds of extracurricular activities for the youth of our community.”

Additional money for programs will help “students find their niche and participate,” said Brost. “It gives students more understanding and pride of what it means to be a Riverhawk. It helps kids more. They feel motivated to chase their dreams.” 

“This gives TD the opportunity to really come together and show the rest of the state: hey, we know what we're doing here, and we care about our kids and not only in the classroom but in everything kids wish to do,” Brost said. 

Be on the lookout for new car raffle ticket sales at sports games, events, festivals, and more in the two counties. You will also see the car driving around town covered in a beautiful collage of photos from both school districts. The Foundations are also setting up a way to buy raffle tickets online through their websites, which should be launched before the end of December.

For other questions about the raffle, feel free to contact Rebecca Thistlethwaite, Administrative Director of the North Wasco County Education Foundation at rebeccathistlethwaite@gmail.com or Mike Schend, Board Member of the Hood River County Education Foundation at mikeschend@yahoo.com.