WSD educator winner of Dodge Hornet raffle

Published by admin on Wed, 09/18/2024 - 7:00pm

Weiser School District’s Danielle Hunt was the winner of the 2023 Dodge Hornet raffle, made possible by Smith Auto of Weiser. The car is an all-wheel-drive compact SUV. Above, Hunt is pictured with two-year-old son Briggs as WSD Superintendent Kenneth Dewlen hands over the keys. Hunt said she did not expect to win the car. Photo by Philip A. Janquart.
By: 
Philip A. Janquart
She hadn’t thought about it in months and wasn’t even sure how many tickets she bought.
 So, for the Weiser School District educator, the subject was more or less out of sight and out of mind on Friday as the first half of the Wolverines’ Homecoming game against Melba ran down.
 After the marching band performed, organizers carried out a red table and placed a mechanical lottery machine on top.
 Weiser School District Superintendent Kenneth Dewlen, Weiser High School Principal Drew Dickerson, Smith Auto GM Jake Welker and others on his staff were on hand to oversee the drawing that would result in one lucky individual winning a 2023 Dodge Hornet. Dewlen spun a gold-colored, metal cylinder where over 1,500 tickets tumbled inside. After a few rotations, WSD trustee Chair Jim Brush reached in, pulled one out and handed it over to Welker who made the announcement over the stadium’s PA system.
 “Danielle … Hunt. Danielle Hunt . . . is she here?” said Welker as he scanned Roy Dickerson Memorial Field’s bleachers before turning to look toward the west hill.
 Somehow, word quickly reached Welker that Danielle was on the hill, and she was on her way.
 It took a few minutes for the Pioneer and Park School curriculum coach to reach the east end of the bleachers where Dewlen stood waiting with the keys to her new car.
 She was carrying two-year-old son Briggs on her hip and sporting a big smile when she got there, her friend Racheal beaming by her side.
 Dewlen affably handed over the keys as he and Danielle posed for media.
 “I’m not sure yet; I didn’t think we would win,” said Hunt, a 2003 WHS graduate, when asked how the car would change things for her family.
 She told the Signal American that she purchased her tickets about four months ago.
 “I’m not sure how many tickets I bought. I did it in May, so it was a while ago,” she said.
 Hunt heard her name called, but it was apparently her friend Racheal who did the jumping and “Woohooing.”
 “We are really thankful and love that we were able to choose which schools and clubs that we could donate to and that all of them were included, not just high school,” she said. “I thought that was really an awesome thing that they did. So many of the fundraisers are for older kids, so it was nice that Pioneer and Park and the younger kids got a little bit out of this too.” The fundraiser was the brainchild of Welker who approached the WSD board of trustees back in February with the idea to raffle off a car.
 “We took some ideas of things we can do to help us get exposure and (at the same time) help the people of Weiser,” Welker said during a Feb. 12 trustee meeting. “It’s been clear to us what a great community this is. What we would like to do is donate a new car to the school district, one that the kids can raffle off … The idea is to generate as much money as possible for the school district.”
 Participants paid $25 per ticket or $100 for five tickets to secure a chance to win the 2023 Dodge Hornet all-wheel-drive compact SUV valued at $33,000. Smith Auto not only donated the vehicle but committed to paying the taxes. 
 The original goal was to raise $100,000 that would go to WSD school sports programs and organizations, with participants given the opportunity to choose which sports team or organization their money would go to. 
 The raffle didn’t reach the $100,000 mark, but it still raised almost $40,000 for WSD kids. Since the state does not support high school sports and other activities, the money will enable coaches and staff to pay for things like uniforms, equipment, fees and various other expenses. According to Dewlen, Smith Auto has committed to the raffle next year.
 “We just have to make some changes, and we will do even better next year,” he said.

 

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Signal American

18 E. Idaho St.
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