[meteorite-list] Charity Meteorite Raffle for New Orleans

[Notkin]

Dear Friends and Meteorite List Members:


I propose the following:

I will sponsor a charity meteorite raffle on my website, with 100% of 
the proceeds going to help Hurricane Katrina victims, through a 
donation to the Red Cross. By making this a raffle, instead of an 
auction, everyone who participates will get to share in the act of 
giving to our people in need, everyone has a chance of winning, and no 
single person will shoulder the winning bid alone.

I am asking today for donations of meteorites or meteorite-related 
items for this charity event. We will then present a single lot of all 
items, with a detailed list and photos (when available) posted on my 
website. If enough items are forthcoming, we will offer first and 
second prizes, etc. Check with your tax professional, as the value of 
your donation to a legitimate charity is probably tax deductible. I 
will happily provide receipts if requested.

Tickets will be $10 each and you can buy as many as you like. We will 
ask a respected, impartial party to handle the drawing. I will happily 
take suggestions as to who that should be.

Ticket purchases will go to a single PayPal account, with the entire 
amount then being paid to the Red Cross. A receipt for the full amount 
will be posted on my site at the end of the raffle.

This will only work if a good number of people are willing to help both 
with donations of raffle items and with the purchase of raffle tickets. 
If you are interested in donating something for the raffle, or if you 
think this is a good or bad idea -- or if you have a better one -- 
please let me know. If there is sufficient interest, I will establish 
cut off times for donations, and for ticket purchases, and also publish 
a preliminary list of raffle items.

This has to happen quickly, as the Red Cross needs help now. It'll be 
fun, and it's for a good cause. If people respond today we should be 
able to have this all wrapped up in 48 hours, with $$ on the way to 
where it's needed.

Hats off to Martin Altmann, Martin Horejsi, Adam Hupe, Herman Archer, 
and Moni Waiblinger-Seabridge who had the ideas and got the ball 
rolling.

I will include "raffle" in the subject of future correspondence on this 
topic, so those not interested can delete the appropriate posts.


Yours sincerely,

Geoff Notkin