Raffle winner gives prize back to Boys & Girls Clubs

Tariq Malik

HUNTINGTON BEACH -- It rained pennies from heaven, or at least from

the generosity of others, for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Huntington Valley

at their latest fund-raiser.

The child-oriented organization, which serves both Huntington Beach

and Fountain Valley, received a surprise at its 21st annual Benefit

Dinner and Show last month when a city resident signed over a door prize

to the club worth more than $8,000.

Mike Haynes of Mercury Entertainment won the cash prize in a raffle

and immediately signed it back over to the Boys & Girls Clubs of

Huntington Valley.

“We’re obviously very grateful,” said Jennifer Stewart, a club

spokeswoman. “We really count on the support of everyone to keep our

basketball, roller hockey, gymnastics and theater programs going.”

The club serves about 1,300 children, ranging from 6 weeks to 18 years

old, with two branches, a day-care center in Huntington Beach and a

fourth site in Fountain Valley.

Attendance increases about 5% each year, but the $40-a-week fee

doesn’t pay the club’s operating costs, club officials said. Haynes’

donation could fund memberships for about 200 at-risk children, they

said.

Haynes did not return repeated phone calls from the Independent.

Each year, the club holds the dinner, auction and show, which this

year featured musical selections from “Annie” performed by club members,

to raise money and awareness of the organization’s programs. Club

officials raised $125,000 during the Sept. 22 fund-raiser.

In the raffle, a target amount of $13,700 was set and a winner was to

get 60% of that pot, an arrangement aimed at encouraging donations, club

officials said.