Score one (actually, several) for the good guys!

[H.Callahan]

http://illinoishomepage.net/fulltext?nxd_id=507072 (video that aired on WCIA, Channel 3)

ATWOOD -- After striking out with past fundraisers, a gun helps a youth baseball league hit one out of the park.

Ten dollars; that's how much the Atwood-Hammond Youth Baseball League earned from a hog roast last year.

So this season they decided to raffle off an AR-15 rifle. The raffle pulled in $31,500. Tickets were sold at $20. That's about a 315,000% percent increase from last year's hog roast.

Some argue the idea was controversial. But one thing they can't argue is how successful it turned out to be.

When the local youth baseball league approached the Atwood Armory about a gun raffle, the idea was to raise hundreds, maybe a few thousand dollars.

That would be enough to buy some new equipment and maybe new bleachers. Enter the AR-15 rifle, making this small town fundraiser a national sensation.

"America saw what was going on. They were excited about the rifle involved. They were excited about helping these kids out."

Now with more than thirty grand in the fold, the possibilities seem endless.

"This area that is staked off with the flags is actually going to be where our second tee-ball diamond is," said Charidy Butcher, co-owner of the Atwood Armory, as she gave us a tour of the baseball field.

"This used to be our batting cage. It was in obvious disrepair. We are going to concrete all this in here and redo the sides and the top on this."

Other leagues we talked with felt it was insensitive to use an assault weapon as a means of raising money. But that didn't stop people from buying ticket after ticket.

"I think it's definitely shown that what they thought was a negative has definitely turned into a positive, and in the end it's going to help these kids out quite a bit."

The raffle winner wasn't someone from Atwood. He actually lives in West Virginia. The rules require he fill out all the proper paper work and pass a background check.



This wasn't the first time the Atwood Armory used an AR-15 in a fundraiser.

Last March, it raffled off one of them for the Camden Foundation. The organization helps families whose children are suffering from cancer.

It raised more than $16,000. If you combine that with the baseball raffle, that's more than $47,000.

[theperfessor]

Outstanding. A fundraiser where virtually 100% of the proceeds end up with the intended recipients.

[merlin101]

Over $31,000 Exellent!! I guess we are going to start seeing more gun raffles and less car washes

[H.Callahan]

Outstanding. A fundraiser where virtually 100% of the proceeds end up with the intended recipients.

I am not 100% certain, but I seem to recall reading that Atwood Armory ate the initial cost of the rifle so 100% of the funds actually DID go to the youth baseball league.

[km101]

"Controversial" "Insensitive" ??? I think it's fabulous! The kids got what they needed, and much more than they expected. The project was obviously popular and well supported. I think the people who thought it was controversial just might have been a wee bit jealous!

I hope the idea catches on around here. I would definitely be in for a few tickets!