Valentine’s Day raffle

By Hannah Rennie

With February 14th right around the corner, The Community Lunch Box Society hosts its first-ever Valentine’s Day Sweetheart Raffle to raise money and celebrate love! The organization has partnered with various local businesses to put together a romantic date night prize basket. All proceeds of the fundraiser will help support the Community Lunch Box’s local initiatives. While COVID-19 restrictions might force us to celebrate Valentine’s Day in new ways this year, the Valentine’s Day Sweetheart Raffle is the perfect opportunity to win a safe and memorable date night for you and your loved one.

The Community Lunch Box Society is a local non-profit organization that provides healthy snacks, breakfasts, and lunches to children in need. The program is offered in six schools within Whitecourt and promotes food security for local youth while ensuring students have the nutritious meals and snacks they need. Mayor Maryann Chichak noted that the town of Whitecourt is very proud of the work the Lunch Box has done and that in addition to providing healthy food options for youth in our community, “the Community Lunch Box is an excellent steward for employment opportunities for local individuals with disabilities.” Beyond its school programs and inclusive employment opportunities, the Society also helps keep our community clean and environmentally-conscious through its bottle recycling program.

To run these programs, though, the Lunch Box relies heavily on its annual fundraising events, which have been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As many local non-profits have been discovering, COVID-19 has forced organizations to approach fundraising in new and creative ways in order to continue their work. Thus, the Community Lunch Box created the Valentine’s Day Sweetheart Raffle: by purchasing a ticket, you not only have the chance to win an incredible prize basket but also get to support a local organization and give back to our community.

            The prize basket, valued at $1000, was donated by many local businesses and includes everything you need for a perfect Whitecourt date night: chocolates, sparkling wine, an evening out at the casino, a hotel room at the Kanata, and more! There are 300 raffle tickets available for $10 apiece, which can be purchased via e-transfer to hello@communitylunchbox.ca (must be 18+). The winning ticket will be drawn on February 11 at 4 pm. For more information on the raffle or to discover other ways to support this local non-profit, check out the Community Lunch Box Society Facebook page or go to www.communitylunchbox.ca.