The event was very lucrative and our Grand Prize Trip of a Lifetime Raffle was a wonderful boost to our bottom line.
Chardon, Ohio (PRWEB) July 25, 2014
For 17 years, the Suicide Prevention Education Alliance has hosted the annual Links for Life golf tournament to raise money to fund critical programs. To boost fundraising efforts this year, the Nonprofit sold raffle tickets for a Grand Prize Trip-of-a-Lifetime where the winner could choose between three unique travel experiences provided by Winspire, and the results were outstanding.
“The event was very lucrative and our Grand Prize Trip of a Lifetime Raffle was a wonderful boost to our bottom line,” said Mary McKenna of the Suicide Prevention Education Alliance. Tickets were sold before and during the event with more than $22,000 raised for charity from the raffle alone.
The three unique experiences included a 5-night Italian vacation called the Tuscany Culinary Escape, a 5-night Pebble Beach Golf trip, and a 5-night Ryder Cup Golf Competition getaway. The winner selected the Tuscany Experience.
“The individual who won the Culinary Escape to Tuscany trip purchased five tickets,” said McKenna. “She lost her husband to suicide in 2005. The participants I have spoken with were thrilled that this person was the lucky winner!”
The money raised will fund the “Recognizing Teen Depression and Preventing Suicide” high school program, which was delivered to nearly 20,000 students in Northeast Ohio last year. Of that number, more than 1,000 students came forward to the program instructors with concerns for themselves or their friends about severe depression and thoughts of suicide.
ABOUT SUICIDE PREVENTION EDUCATION ALLIANCE
Suicide Prevention Education Alliance (SPEA), formerly known as American Foundation of Suicide Prevention of Northeast Ohio (AFSP), was founded in 1992 by Lyman H (Tim) Treadway, after his son's suicide. SPEA’s goal is to encourage at-risk students to seek and receive treatment from a mental health professional, as treatment is life altering and often lifesaving. A statistically significant percentage of students who participate in the program seek the help of a mental health professional within three months of program intervention. Evidence-based research validates the program’s success. SPEA saves families from the unfathomable loss of a child to suicide and helps teens to live healthy, productive lives. For more information, visit http://www.speaneohio.org.
ABOUT WINSPIRE
Winspire provides unique once-in-a-lifetime travel experiences for nonprofits to use in benefit auctions and other charity fundraising events. This increasingly popular fundraising tool allows organizations to place exclusive travel packages in their fundraisers without any upfront cost. Since organizations purchase only the packages they sell, Winspire Experiences can be used without risk at live auctions, silent auctions, raffles and any number of fundraising events.
Since 2008, Winspire has been involved in more than 25,000 events and has helped raise over $30 million for charity with these Experiences. More than 55,000 satisfied winning bidders have purchased and enjoyed Winspire packages, which include such Experiences as award shows, major sporting events, VIP access, family vacations, international trips, cruises and hundreds more. The Winspire Booking & Concierge Service provides winning bidders with a team of seasoned travel professionals to handle all travel-related details and reservations for every Experience. For more information, please visit http://www.winspireme.com.