Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
GODFREY - The offerings for this year’s annual Christmas In July 2024 for the Community Christmas raffle event at Freer Auto Body are once again sensational.
Tickets for the raffle will be available at the event set for 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Friday, July 26, 2024, at Freer Auto Body in Godfrey.
This year's offerings include $3,000 cash donated by Axalta Coatings, a seven-night stay in a two-bedroom condo in Panama City Beach donated by Darel and Vicky File, a seven-night stay in Destin, Fla., with private beach access donated by Greg and Robin Nasello, and a five-night stay at "Beds by the Creek" in Choteau, Montana, donated by Phyllis Bechtold.
Additional prizes include a three-night all-inclusive resort stay at Dreams Riviera Cancun donated by Travel Leaders and AM Resorts, four St. Louis Cardinals Green Seats donated by John and Jayne Simmons, and $1,000 cash donated by Freer Auto Body.
Margaret and Carrie Freer are once again rallying the community to support their annual holiday raffle, which aims to provide a brighter Christmas for local families in need. The event on Friday, which will feature the "Best Sloppy Joes" from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., is set to take place at their shop, with a drawing scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Organizers plan to stream the drawing live on Facebook.
"I always get nervous," said Margaret Freer, emphasizing the importance of community participation. "We still do have tickets available. Stop by the shop or go online."
Carrie highlighted the collective effort involved in the initiative. "Everybody pitches in," she said. "If the general population is struggling, think about the others. I posted on my Venmo a couple weeks ago, and every day somebody buys one or two tickets. It doesn't take just one person buying, every ticket sale counts."
Margaret added: "Everyone involved in this campaign is a winner. Anyone who bought a ticket is a winner because they helped so many people. Everyone should have a Christmas."
Carrie acknowledged that some people have a negative association with the holidays due to past experiences. "Some hate holidays because they had poor holidays growing up," she said. She said this campaign can prevent those negative experiences from ever happening again.
Margaret stressed that every dollar raised goes directly to those in need. "Every dime of this is donated. We donate the food, everyone sells the raffle tickets, and every penny goes to helping people."
Carrie noted the local focus of their efforts. "This stays local," she said. "The families are so, so appreciative."
In preparation for the holiday season, the Freers begin their Christmas shopping after their July event and actually start watching for sales the day after Christmas.
"It is fun to see what the agencies want us to shop for," Carrie said.
The community is encouraged to participate by purchasing raffle tickets, enjoying a meal, and tuning in to the live drawing to see the impact of their contributions.
The raffle tickets, priced at $10 each, offer participants a chance to win a variety of impressive prizes.
Tickets can be purchased at Freer Auto Body, and checks for the raffle or donations should be made out to Community Christmas. For more information, Freer Auto Body can be reached at 618-466-6151. C.J. Nasello, host of Riverbender.com's Our Daily Show!, is also selling tickets and can be contacted via email at cj@riverbender.com.
Recently, Bakers and Hale in Godfrey had a very successful fundraiser for the campaign and Margaret and Carrie Freer both said they were very appreciative of that effort. Margaret said waiters at the restaurant are still trying to move tickets at the end of the Christmas In July push.
More like this:
