Cancer Fundraising 2

This year, I have had the opportunity to have two separate raffle drawings. One on June 15, 2026, and the raffle drawing today for every other year Team Carrie Powwow For Hope Fundraiser.

The first fundraiser brought in over 1,200 for support of the Red Lake Community Health Workers program, located in Bemidji, MN. Today the fundraiser dollars go directly to the American Indian Cancer Foundation, which is a national organization that is housed in Minnesota.

This raffle took items not bid on from the June fundraiser and put them up for raffle. There were other items donated as well. Because the regular yearly goal has been for Team Carrie to donate is $500. we usually double or triple that goal. It was not my intent this year, as I have been busy with other projects.

So we are currently $35. away from our goal. We sold raffle tickets 1 for $10., 3 for $25., and 6 for $45. I really have focused on people living by me as it is my responsibility to deliver the prizes. Postage has gone up so much and having them sent by a program that packages, insures and mails is out of site.

Sometimes more than the item being shipped, and other times close to the value. The raffle prizes for this event are below.

The raffle prizes were donated, and some were valued at over $200. and the least valued item was $25.00. I am looking forward to being done with this fundraiser, and I will look forward to the next local fundraiser to put into cancer causes in the area I live in.

Team Carrie changes members every year. Some will help out with every step. This year it was primarily me that sold the tickets for both events. My children will sometimes buy tickets and other times they are not interested in the items being raffled. They prefer the bid on items.

I have nieces and nephews that will occasionally participate also and an occasional grandchild. My favorite fundraiser was at the art gallery in Grand Rapids, where the art items were on display for an entire month in the gallery. The gallery staff sold the items and held them for pickup or shipped them.

That is an incentive for friend and family artists to get their art seen. It worked well for a couple of the artists, and several people would have liked to have my sisters print that my brother had made and donated.

Earlier this year in June, I did the majority of the work involved in the fundraiser. I thought that since my involvement was so last minute that I would not recruit others to help. Similar story with this fundraiser.

Because of that, I had little help from the staff, and no one purchased raffle tickets or bid on items. I will remember this next year! Never expect me to do the entire fundraising. I could donate the amount it costs me to have a fundraising event and maybe that is what is going to happen in the future.

I like the reminders of my sister as an artist. I miss my sister, and this brings her back. My cousin Faith died from the same type of cancer I fought a few years ago now. I think of her and so many more that lost their battle with cancer.

I am so grateful that I am still here and still able to fundraise. I continue to have the energy and the ability to help others struggling with cancer. My daughters friend just finished her fight. Currently no cancer! She spent months at the Mayo Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota.

She had to experience four different treatments to beat her form of cancer. Nothing was ever for sure throughout her fight. Last week she was told there is no sign, and she is off to live her life! My daughter was her cheerleader the entire fight and helped her to stay afloat during her battle.

My daughter is my very best helper. She will be here to help with the set up and drawing for the raffle today. Then her and her husband are off to a concert in our nearby community. So pleased that after all the hard work she does her husband surprised her with a concert!