Winner of '23 Corolla will be picked at TD vs. HR football game on Friday, Sept. 8

Last Spring - The Dalles High School Music Teacher Mic 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!

By Tom Peterson

This week’s football match-up between The Dalles High School and rivals Hood River Valley will feature a halftime raffle that will put some lucky person in the driver’s seat of a 2023 Toyota Corolla.

Between the gridiron action, the winning ticket for a 2023 Toyota Corolla, which has been generously donated by local dealership Columbia Gorge Toyota, will be drawn.

The game is set for Sid White Field at the Wahtonka Campus on Friday, Sept. 8, at 7 p.m.

Rachel Carter with Columbia Gorge Toyota said they will have final numbers on how much the raffle has raised for athletics and clubs at both TDHS and HRV on Friday, but the number appears to be about $65,000.

Several months ago, The Dalles High School Athletic Director Billy Brost said the fundraising would 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.

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.

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.”