Those seeking a truly one-of-a-kind gift for loved ones have a unique opportunity this winter. We recently launched our 2013 Winter Star Quilt Raffle, giving members of the public a chance to win the distinctive, queen-size “Winter on the Plains” Lakota star quilt.
The blue, brown and turquoise quilt is hand-crafted by Bonnie LeBeau, an enrolled member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. Tickets are already on sale and may be purchased until March 14. CRYP will conduct the drawing and announce the winner on March 15; the organization will then ship the quilt to the winner free of charge. All proceeds will benefit the youth project.
“There are several ways people can help with the raffle,” said Julie Garreau, CRYP’s executive director. “First, buy tickets. They are $1 each or $5 for a six-ticket packet. You also can sell tickets for us, and spread the word by telling family and friends about the raffle.”
To purchase tickets, send cash, checks or money orders to: Cheyenne River Youth Project, Attn: Winter Star Quilt, P.O. Box 410, Eagle Butte, SD 57625. You also may pay online at www.lakotayouth.org. Simply click the “Donate Now” button on the home page, and put “Winter on the Plains” in the notes section when paying with a credit card. Do not write the word “raffle” anywhere in the payment.
To sell tickets, please send an email to April Bachman, CRYP’s finance manager, at finance.cryp@gmail.com. She will send as many tickets as you request; they come in books of 20. Once you receive your tickets, along a quilt photo and information sheet, you will be responsible for selling those tickets. All tickets need to be turned in by March 14 so CRYP can conduct the drawing as planned on March 15.
“We all really enjoy hosting raffles like this as fundraisers,” Garreau said. “First of all, raffling off a star quilt gives us a chance to share Lakota culture. Star quilts originated among the Great Plains nations after European contact. The star pattern evolved from our original buffalo-robe designs; our people simply adopted the newcomers’ quilting techniques and adapted them to suit our culture.
“We also love that the raffles are international — anyone can buy tickets, whether you live here in South Dakota or on another continent,” she continued. “We’ve had raffle winners from as far away as the United Kingdom and New Zealand. The best part is that, sometimes, this forges an unexpected bond. We’ve even had one raffle winner, Shaun McGirr, travel to Cheyenne River to serve as a volunteer during our annual Christmas Toy Drive!”