Boys & Girls Clubs $10 Million Fundraising Campaign Begins with Cash Giveaways.

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- The Boys & Girls Clubs of Conejo & Las Virgenes has begun the first phase of its $10 million fundraising campaign with a raffle that features multiple cash drawings and a chance at $1 million or a townhome on Westlake. Thousand Oaks Mayor Pro Tem Jacqui Irwin drew the first 18 cash prize winner names at the Clubs' Los Cerritos School facility here.

The top prize winner of $15,000 is Nona Bell Jensen from Ventura. The $1,000 winners are Dawn McGinty, Simi Valley, and Jeanette Jennett, Camarillo. The $500 winners are: Veronica Martain-Haverbeck, Newbury Park; John Mitchell, Shawnee Mission, KS; Jenny Johnson, Calabasas; Marie White, Oak Park; and Jean Philippe Choudry, Agoura. The $300 winners are: John Kolarik, Westlake Village, Terence Boga, La Crescenta; Carolyn Lusk, West Hills; Tammy Swank, Oak Park; Desiree Ridge, Oak Park; Tammy Channel, Ventura; David Leff, Calabasas; Robert Herdan, Westlake Village; Mary Sistrunk, Westlake Village; and Frank and Louise Riha, Kalama, WA.

Dianne McKay, president of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Conejo & Las Virgenes, noted, "Those lucky people winning today will have their raffle tickets placed back into the drawing barrel for the next Early Bird drawing to be held in May for another chance to win. All raffle entrants purchasing tickets by April 30, 2007 will be eligible for the next 18 cash prizes, ranging from $300 to $10,000. Another 20 cash prizes of $300 to $15,000 will be drawn in June, along with the Grand Prize choice of a newly decorated, lakefront townhome on Westlake or one million dollars."

Only 25,000 total tickets will be sold at only $150 each. If an individual purchases 10 tickets at once, he or she will be given another two tickets at no additional cost. McKay noted, "The odds of winning are extremely good, as our $300 winners from Kalama, WA discovered in our first Early Bird drawing. They were visiting in the area and came by for the drawing."

Louise Riha and her husband Frank from Washington were the tenth winners drawn by Mayor Pro Tem Irwin. Mrs. Riha said, "We just wanted to do something for the kids and we ended up doubling our money."

The Rihas had lived in the area since 1961 and Mrs. Riha taught seventh and eighth grades at Redwood Middle School in 1968 and nearly 20 years at Sequoia Middle School. She retired in 1987 and moved to Washington. The Rihas now divide their time between Washington and Newbury Park.

The proceeds of the raffle will go toward the $10 million campaign underway to establish and furnish four (4) additional Boys & Girls Club clubhouses in the region that will provide before- and after-school programs for youth in Calabasas, Hidden Hills, Agoura Hills, Oak Park, Westlake Village, Thousand Oaks, and Newbury Park.

Among the campaign sponsors are: The Acorn and Ventura County Star newspapers, Affinity Group, Time Warner, Honda of Thousand Oaks, Santa Barbara Bank & Trust, Ventura County Parent Magazine, West Valley Publications, and The Johnston Group.

To order raffle tickets, call 800-511-1439. Complete raffle rules and other information, including a downloadable order form, are available through the Boys & Girls Clubs of Conejo & Las Virgenes at www.supportbgc.org.