Steps to run the raffle at a WiG conference
revised November 2004

• Call the Attorney General's Office of the given state in which the conference is taking place to find out
  • whether raffles are legal in that state and if so,
  • the maximum amount of money that can be earned.

  Note: This needs to happen only once every three years or when the conference relocates to a new site. 

• Three weeks before the conference, put a call for donations on the WiG listserv (women_in_german@UCLINK4.BERKELEY.EDU) on a weekly basis. Here is a sample first call for donations:

  Subject: call for WiG conference raffle donations
  Dear WiG members,
  Last year's raffle during the WiG conference was a success, thanks to all of your donations and to your ticket purchases. Proceeds of the raffle were used to subsidize WiG graduate student travel/expenses. [Note to raffle organizers: fund designation may change. Please confirm with Steering Committee members.]
  Please consider making a donation this year. Any kind of donation is welcome even if you do not plan to attend the conference. Last year's donations included items such as copies of recently published books, WiG T-shirts, and graduate student WiG memberships.
  If you would like to donate:

  
  1) e-mail both of us, the raffle organizers: xxx@xxx.edu and xxx.xxx.edu with a description of the item; and
  2) indicate whether you plan to bring the item with you to the conference or would prefer to mail it. The mailing address is: xxxx.

  If you have any questions, don¹t hesitate to contact either of us.
  Best wishes,
  xxxxx                                                                               xxxx
  address                                                                            address
  e-mail                                                                              e-mail

• Send out a second and then final call for donations.
• Maintain a list of donors, their e-mails and their donations. Briefly acknowledge every donation you receive with an e-mail. Right before the conference, send one reminder e-mail addressed to all donors who indicated they would bring an item with them.
• Bring any mailed items and the raffle tickets to the conference. It is the responsibility of the former raffle organizers to pass on unused raffle tickets or to let the new ones know that a new roll needs to be purchased.
• At the conference: 
  • Bring enough copies of the list of raffle donations for everyone attending the Steering Committee meeting.
  • Let the conference organizers know that you need a table.
  • Set up the table with the items and make a poster on the spot for the table display.
  • Work out a raffle ticket selling schedule with your co-organizer and make sure that you wear your name tag at all times. Ticket prices are currently $5/ticket.
  • *Remember to write down the name of the ticket buyer on the raffle ticket stub(s) that you retain in order to ensure that all prizes get awarded.
  • Make sure to announce that raffle tickets are for sale at regular intervals, for example, when announcements are being made at meals. 
  • The raffle should take place right before the cabaret on Saturday night.
  • All money should be passed on to the Treasurer. Document the amount earned for future reference.
  • After the conference, send out a brief e-mail to the listserv to announce the amount of money raised at the raffle.  
    

Return to Protocols for Duties of Steering Committee Members