Sunday Services at 10am

 

 

 

Ticket Seller Information

How to Get Involved
Beginning April 2nd and every Sunday until we sell out, there will be a You Decide How to Spend Your Winnings Raffle table in the Parish Hall after the service where you can pick up new and turn in sold raffle tickets. We hope each First Parish member/family/friend will sell at least 10 tickets on the church’s behalf. Proceeds go directly to support First Parish. You will be amazed how easily these tickets will sell! For just $20/ticket, your co-workers, friends, and family members have a shot at winning a fantastic vacation anywhere in the world. And the odds are excellent: it’s a 1 in 2000 (or better) chance of winning.

For more information, click here!

Do’s and Don’ts

Please DO:
• be careful with your tickets and moneys collected.
• keep each payment clipped with its corresponding ticket stub (this is very important!).
• make sure written info (on ticket stub and check) is complete and legible.

Please Do NOT:
• lose your tickets.
• give people stubs to be filled out later.
• directly sell raffle tickets online or mail tickets. It’s illegal!

Completed Ticket Sales
Each ticket’s payment must be attached to the corresponding ticket stub (paper clips will be provided). Return stubs and payments weekly to the You Decide How to Spend Your Winnings Raffle table after the service.

If you’ve sold as many as you think you can sell and still have tickets left, return the unsold tickets to the You Decide How to Spend Your Winnings Raffle table so they can be redistributed for sale.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. I have questions; whom do I contact?
A. Bill Adams can be contacted anytime at raffle@firstparishportland.com or by text or phone call at (207) 939-8766.

Q. Where do we get tickets?
A. During Coffee Hour any Sunday starting April 3rd, from Bill Adams anytime, or from Hannah Gilman at the office (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 12-5pm).

Q. Can tickets be purchased online?
A. No. Maine state law prohibits selling raffle tickets via the Internet. However, you can ADVERTISE the sale online – on Facebook, via email, etc.

Q. What payment methods are accepted?
A. Cash or personal checks, payable to First Parish with RAFFLE on the memo line or credit card. Checks with insufficient funds make the purchaser ineligible for Prizes.

Q. Where do the proceeds go and how much money do we hope to make?
A. Proceeds go to support First Parish. If we sell all 2,000 tickets, First Parish will make $33,000!

Q. I’ve sold all my tickets and I need more. What do I do?
A. First, pat yourself on the back for a job well done! Then pick up more tickets after services or call/text Bill Adams (see above) to turn in your sold ticket stubs and monies. We will then issue you another packet of 10 tickets.

Q. When do the tickets have to be turned in?
A. Final deadline to turn in sold ticket packets is noon, Sunday, June 25th, the day of the drawing.

Q. When is the raffle drawing?
A. At the Coffee Hour following the service on June 25th. The drawing will be held at 12:00pm in the Parish Hall. The winner does not need to be present to win.

Q. I’m selling a ticket to someone who lives out of town/state. How do I do that?
A. Please fill out the ticket for them. Do not send tickets through the U.S. Mail as it is illegal to do so. We recommend emailing or texting them a photo of their filled-out ticket.

Q. Is the prize transferable?
A. Yes, and all terms and conditions apply to new recipient. First Parish must be notified of this transfer.

Q. Will the information provided on the ticket be used for mailing lists or any other purpose?
A. No, we will only contact the person named on the winning ticket. We will not use anyone’s contact information for any other purpose.

Q. Anything else I should know?
• Fill in the tickets stubs completely and legibly. Name and phone number are the most important! We want to be able to call the winner right away if he or she is not present at the drawing.
• Terms and Conditions apply see below for details

 

2023 Raffle Terms and Conditions

First Parish in Portland – A Unitarian Universalist Congregation 425 Congress Street, Portland, Maine

The First Parish in Portland or its designated representative will conduct the 2023 “You Decide How to Spend Your Winnings” Raffle drawing at First Parish on Sunday, June 25th, 2023, at noon. We will notify the person who purchased the selected raffle ticket (the “Winner”) by phone and/or email, as provided on the winning ticket stub, by Friday, June 30th, 2023.

The Winner is entitled to decide how to spend their winnings – based on the limits of the prize. The Winner may expand the contents of their Prize at his or her own cost and expense. The Prize does not include alcoholic beverages or reimbursement for gambling debts or any other services beyond those explicitly stated in these conditions. The total First Prize reimbursement is not to exceed FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($5,000), Second Prize ($1000), Third Prize ($500). The Winner must use the Prize by June 30, 2024. All travel arrangements may be booked through First Parish or its designated representative. Blackout dates may apply.

  • The Winner must be at least 18 years of age and may be required to provide proof of age to First Parish.
  • The Winner will receive a W-2G form from First Parish, and the value of the Prize will be treated as ordinary income to the Winner for federal and state income tax purposes. The Winner may be required to pre-pay a portion of the tax liability prior to receiving the Prize.
  • Prior to accepting the Prize, the Winner may be required to provide to First Parish an IRS W-9 Form, a clear and readable photocopy of identification (such as a driver’s license or passport), social security number, and any other required forms. The Winner represents and warrants to First Parish that all information submitted with respect to receipt of the Prize is complete and accurate.
  • First Parish is not liable for any loss, injury, death, accident, theft, illness, or other misfortune of any nature whatsoever incurred during this trip or resulting from it. By accepting airline tickets or any other portion of the Prize, the Winner releases First Parish, its employees, directors, agents, and attorneys from any and all obligations to the Winner and any and all claims or causes of action that may exist against First Parish, known or unknown, as well as any such obligations, claims, or causes of action arising from the Winner’s acceptance of the Prize. First Parish makes no warranty whatsoever, express or implied, with respect to the Prize.
  • The IRS takes the position that no portion of the ticket price will qualify as a charitable contribution for federal income tax purposes.
  • First Parish will apply net raffle proceeds to servicing the public benefit of the community by working toward the fulfilment of its mission.
  • Tickets cost TWENTY DOLLARS ($20.00) each and may be purchased by cash or personal check or credit card. Each ticket buyer must write purchaser’s name, telephone number or email address on each ticket.
  • Raffle tickets may not be deposited in the federal postal service; doing so is a violation of federal law and may lead to penalties.