Raffle will help get to the ‘Root’ of giving back to 4-H
The upcoming Holmes County Roots gun raffle will turn its profits into supporting the youth of Holmes County.
The annual Holmes County Fair and the heart of Holmes County 4-H activities may be months away, but the dedicated group of individuals who make up Holmes County Roots remains hard at work to raise funds for 4-H, the fair and to help financially support the county’s youth.
In doing so, Roots has come up with a new fundraiser that is currently taking place, The 12 Guns of Christmas Raffle, which will see the group raffle off one firearm daily beginning 12 days prior to Christmas.
“We’re taking steps in the right direction to allow us to head in the direction we want to go as an organization,” said Keaton Lorentz, Roots president. “We’re excited about this raffle because every nickel we raise will be poured right back into the community, toward the youth of Holmes County. Our goal when we started was to help our youth any way we can.”
That has already begun, with Roots raising $2,500 at this year’s fair through a meat bundle raffle.
The group has dedicated those funds to paying $50 of the first 50 youth who sign up to attend 4-H Camp next summer. Lorentz said they also are looking forward to providing needed items for youth, from 4-H related books to coats and hats for the winter and other educational items.
“We want to make sure that we are there for those in need,” Lorentz said. “We recognize that there are families in our community in need, and we have a generous community so we want to be there for others.”
Beginning on Dec. 14 and on each of the following days leading up to Christmas, the following prizes will be drawn in order: 10-by-13-by-5-by-10 Digital Bio Safe, a $250 gift card to J&L Sports Center, a Ruger LCP 75 Anniversary 380 ACP: Baretta APX 1 9mm, a Mossberg Patriot 400 Legend, a Savage Axis II 350 Legend with scope, a Springfield Hellcat 9mm, an Anderson AR-15 5.56, a Weatherby Element 20Ga, a Weatherby Element 12Ga, a Springfield 1911 Defender 45 ACP and a Springfield Saint 5.56.
“It’s a fantastic collection of guns, and we are grateful to J&L Sports Center for supporting our effort,” Lorentz said.
Tickets are $10 apiece, and 1,000 tickets will be sold. Additionally, with every 200 tickets over that number, Roots will add another firearm to the event. Lorentz said people can purchase tickets up until the day of the drawing on Dec. 14, when they will draw each of the winners at one drawing.
He said purchases or donations can be made by sending checks to Holmes County Roots, P.O. Box 545, Millersburg, OH 44654. Raffle tickets also may be purchased through Venmo.
Lorentz said working together as a community, with many people getting involved, is one exciting aspect of the group’s mission.
“We don’t necessarily need one person with $100; we need 100 people with $1,” Lorentz said, noting the group relishes the idea of getting many small donors involved just as much as the larger donors.
He said this is a community organization, and there are many people in the community who have big hearts, regardless of how much they can give.
“We have a lot of people who have their roots in 4-H, both who live here or have moved out of the area but still want to support 4-H,” Lorentz said.
Raffle winners can pick up their prize at J&L Sports Center in Berlin.
The group also is preparing to host the Holmes County Roots Legacy Dinner on Feb. 1 at the Harvest Ridge Expo Center, a night that will include dinner, a silent auction and more.
Holmes County Roots board members include Lorentz, Taylor Faunce, Elizabeth Helterbrand, Renee Zimmerman, Tara Sheldon, Kylie Ramirez, Lexi Ogi, Alexis Stitzlein, Amanda Berger, Katie Faunce and Ella Lorentz.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit Roots at www.facebook.com/holmescountyroots/. To purchase raffle tickets, contact any of the Roots members or call Lorentz at 419-651-6998.