Town Raffles Rifles to Raise Money for School
Wed Nov 24, 8:47 AM ET

DALLAS (Reuters) - To raise money for a local school project, residents in Lampasas, Texas, are turning to a time-honored tradition, the raffle. But their fundraiser has a unique twist -- the winner walks off with two rifles.

Lampasas, located in central Texas Hill Country, wants to raise about $15,000 to build a fence around parts of Hanna Springs Intermediate School, where a known sexual predator has been seen near campus.

Officials said it is easier to raise money selling guns in the area, which is a popular hunting spot, than to peddle cookies and sweets.

"In this part of the state, it is difficult to raise money, and a bake sale just doesn't do the trick," said Katherine Yoder, chief of staff for Republican state Rep. Suzanna Hupp, who donated a high-end rifle from firearms maker Kimber.

The winner of the raffle will also receive a .22 caliber rifle donated by a parent and hunting t-shirts. The drawing will be held Dec. 8.

"This rifle will go toward protecting our children," Hupp said in statement explaining why she donated the firearm.

Many who bought raffle tickets visit the Hill Country for deer-hunting season, which begins in late fall. Lampasas, home to about 6,700 residents, usually sees its population double during hunting season.

The winner of the raffle must be over 18 years of age and is subject to local, state, and federal regulations regarding the transfer of firearms, officials said.

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I don't expect any mind blowing discussion over this article, but it just struck me so funny that I had to post it. I mean, why don't they just cut out this middleman "raffle" business and just shoot the guy!

Michael Moore would probably have a field day with this!

Ya know, they've been doing this in small schools in New England for years, and nobody batted an eyelash.

BUT IF IT HAPPENS IN TEXAS

Interesting, I believe you, but could you find me a link?

This kind of goes back to my statement about violence/culture in the Grand Theft Auto thread. How silly is it that our society raffles guns away for education money? Kind of ironic.

Good find Angela

They want to give away rifles to earn money to build a fence to keep out a sexual predator... is someone trying to kill one man with two stones?

My mom's school here in Florida had a trap shooting contest/raffle thing. Not sure what the money went to, but my old 2nd grade teacher won a shotgun. She traded it away for a puppy.



It's not so ironic. I think it's sleazy though that the lottery was passed in Florida under the guise that schools would get a portion of the money spent on tickets - I don't believe it ever really lived up to that. At least with the gun raffle the kids will see an immediate return.

I don't have any problem with this. These are hunting rifles, being raffled fairly, legally, to qualified gun owners, for a good cause.

It's a lot less sleazy than running a state lottery to fund schools. Ironic? Maybe, but at least it's honest.

--PunkDavid

I still don't see the irony in raffling rifles off to protect a school from sexual predators. Now if it were raffling rifles off to fund an anti-gun group's "Say No To Guns" program...that'd be different.