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Post by taylorsman on Dec 17, 2004 7:25:06 GMT
I detest Raffles, see my answer on another Thread, and woud abolish them at Festive Board requesting that Brethren put more in the Alms Bag or Broken Column when these are collected in Lodge.
What do you think? Are they a pain in the **** and a boring and irrelevant distraction and a chore for the Stewards which ruins their meal, or on the contrary do you consider them all part of the fun and tradition of the Festive Board and a good way to raise funds?
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Agent J
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Post by Agent J on Dec 17, 2004 7:29:29 GMT
I think the sad thing is that usually, more money is spent on raffle tickets than on pure donations
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staffs
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Post by staffs on Dec 17, 2004 7:46:35 GMT
Jerry you beat me to it .
we donate raffle prizes but i would prefer to give the money to charity
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Post by middlepillar on Dec 17, 2004 8:13:58 GMT
The sad fact is, raffles raise more money than just having an alms collection.
We have tried to do Alms only, unfortunately our Lodge meeting collections fell to under £200.00.
With a raffle we normally raise between £400-£500 so as much as they are a pain in the rear, I have to vote that they are part of the fun and a Good Fundraiser, because the fact is they are!
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Post by waynecowley on Dec 17, 2004 8:42:26 GMT
The sad fact is, raffles raise more money than just having an alms collection. Agreed in most of the lodges/chapters that I visit the raffle, as a rule of thumb, raises double the alms collection Wayne
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bod
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Post by bod on Dec 17, 2004 9:00:48 GMT
Not a bog fan of raffles, but they do raise money and are quite a good source of entertainment. I do tend to 'recycle' prizes tho' - visit a lodge, win a prize, donate the prize at my next lodge meeting. Does backfire tho' - have had one bottle of wine that I have won three times...
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Agent J
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Post by Agent J on Dec 17, 2004 9:05:41 GMT
reminds me of a particularly nasty ornament that I saw recycled 4 times at different Ladies' Nights...
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Post by whistler on Dec 17, 2004 9:31:10 GMT
The sad fact is, raffles raise more money than just having an alms collection. We have tried to do Alms only, unfortunately our Lodge meeting collections fell to under £200.00. With a raffle we normally raise between £400-£500 so as much as they are a pain in the rear, I have to vote that they are part of the fun and a Good Fundraiser, because the fact is they are! I know it makes me like a killjoy but I firmly believe Fund raising for charitiies is better done by Lions of Rotary - we find that the normal donations to the almoner provide enough to help brn who may become distressed., and a little over. For most of our members that is what they can afford, and they they know that their total public subscription to be a craft mason is about 8 Euro (Your Money), then what they can contribution as the almoners bag passes them in meetings. There is no pressure of any kind to fund raise because we don't -
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Post by kizzy on Dec 17, 2004 10:11:33 GMT
Taylorsman replied to this point but I have moved it to the General Section as a New Thread.
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Michael
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Post by Michael on Jan 14, 2005 12:25:42 GMT
I thought Raffles was really great, and they serve a brilliant Gin and Tonic ;D
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staffs
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Post by staffs on Jan 14, 2005 18:38:40 GMT
My wife used to smoke them ?
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Post by mrmason on Jan 15, 2005 7:37:19 GMT
Well I have to disagree here and think that a raffle is not a bad idea. Certainly the way our lodge does it. At the beginning of a meeting the Tyler stands outside the door of the lodge and sells the tickets, £1.00 per strip, to each brother/visitor going into the temple. The prizes are usually a couple of bottles of Whisky, etc, donated by members of the lodge at each meeting. Before the end of the meeting the Tyler draws the winning tickets and they are passed into the lodge to be given to the RWM to announce. As we sit twice a month for nine months of the year we usually raise about £600.00 over the year this way. This money goes into the lodge funds to be used for whatever reason, usually building upkeep. We did use it to pay our rates, but as the council now pays that for us we can put this money to better use. Most lodges in my area have a small raffle like this. I personaly see it as a bit of light heartedness within the lodge, nothing more. If you don't wish to buy a ticket you don't need to and no-one gives you a hard time over it.
regards
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Post by taylorsman on Jan 15, 2005 7:51:28 GMT
"......but as the council now pays that for us "
You are very fortunate indeed if the Local Council pays your (Business) Rates, how do you manage that? I cannot see an English Local Council paying this for a Masonic Lodge or Temple, indeed quite a few Local Authorities down here are anti- Masonic.
Also down here Raffles, if the Lodge has them and not all do, are not mixed in any way with the actual Meeting in the Temple but the tickets are either sold in the bar before the Festive Board or at the Meal itself usually by the long suffering Stewards, hence my objection to the whole idea.
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Michael
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Post by Michael on Jan 15, 2005 7:55:51 GMT
Steve I know your views on the stewards and up to a point agree, but is this not a good way for junior brethren to meet and have a 'brief' chat with all those they saw up stairs?
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Post by mrmason on Jan 15, 2005 8:03:49 GMT
Hi Steve, Our lodge building is an old end terrace house with our lodge room upstairs. For years now we have allowed the local council to use the downstairs room as the local library for a very small fee. They have always paid our rates for us as well. This was always agreed on a yearly basis but now they have asked us if we would sign up to a lease for several years, which we did. We have recently increased our rent from them because of this tied in lease as well as they continue to pay our rates. An agreement which the council are more than happy with. We used to get about £600 a year rent of them, now it is around £1500 plus the rates paid. This is small change considering they are paying in some areas £10,000 for office space a year. The money we get goes to upkeep the building, as well as subsidising our members. That way we only charge the very mimimum for initiation(£180) and yearly test fees(£25), as set by Grand Lodge.
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Post by mrmason on Jan 15, 2005 8:13:51 GMT
Hi Michael, Would it not be better if the festive boards were more informal then all the new brethren could mingle with whoever they wished. Most of ours are that way so the newest members can sit next to the PGM or whoever and have a good long chat. While I enjoy the differences of each constitution I do prefer my own constitution with regards after meeting harmoney. This is certainly not a critisism just an observation.
Steve, In many lodges up here, during the harmoney anyone will sell the tickets if they hold their raffle after the meeting. Usually it's the treasurer who does it if the raffle is held after the meeting, but I have seen PGM's and other PG officers sell the tickets even some well known visitors.
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staffs
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Post by staffs on Jan 15, 2005 9:15:31 GMT
The thing about being seated is that you get to talk to people who you may not neccessarily speak to .Even if you dont get on its only for the duration of the meal.
If you are mingling you tend to get pockets of people who know each other and ther the chance to meet others does not so easily arise.
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Michael
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Post by Michael on Jan 15, 2005 9:54:37 GMT
I'm sorry guys but I still think raffles are a good idea, not only do they help raise money, they encourage an interaction between lots of different people that would otherwise probably not happen, at least in my lodge; and here I think is the difference, some lodges go to great lengths to ensure their juniors are looked after - others don't. That is not to say they are ignored, but as discussed on another topic it comes down to mentoring. This is not just something that should be done up to the end of the ceremony.
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Post by taylorsman on Jan 15, 2005 10:03:05 GMT
I haven't seen members dining have a lot of meaningful and friendly interaction with Stewards selling Raffle Tickets, the contrary is the usual effect as they miss out speaking to their own guests and the diners next to and across from them, and many either simply ask for a strip of tickets or even wave the Steward away as they cant be bothered with this interuption to their meal.
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Michael
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Post by Michael on Jan 15, 2005 10:05:26 GMT
I suspect we will have to agree to disagree??
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