Reverse Raffle A Big Success For UNCP Athletics

PEMBROKE – Traci Priest improved her chances by purchasing the 250th ball for $2,800 and walked away with a 2008 Ford Focus to culminate the highly successful first annual Reverse Raffle held by the UNCP athletic department. The event raised more than $16,000 for athletic scholarships and was attended by more than 200 spectators in the English E. Jones Center.

Eleven door prizes – which consisted of UNCP athletic polo shirts, football and basketball jerseys and a UNCP athletic department jacket – were given away prior to the big prizes on the night. Leon Miller walked away with $510 as the winner of the 50/50 raffle. Ben Bahr walked away with $1,000 cash as the third place winner, while First Choice Insurance and Realty won a cash prize of $2000.

Down to the final two ping pong balls in the draw, Priest – the mother of current UNCP basketball player Nate Priest - won a bidding war with at least five other spectators to stake claim to the Ford Focus. Her late bid of nearly $3,000 ended up paying off two fold in the end.

UNCP graduate Gary Strickland played host to the event as the master of ceremonies.

The UNCP athletic department would like to express its sincere gratitude to the sponsors of the event – Lumberton Ford, Outback Steakhouse and McDonald’s – as well as a special thank you to all of the individuals who purchased a raffle ticket for the event. The athletic department wishes to thank the workers, volunteers and everyone else involved in making the event a success.