Raffle to benefit Valley Christmas Project

Through Dec. 20, people doing their holiday banking can also help out Valley Churches United Missions’ Valley Christmas Project by purchasing a raffle ticket.
This year is the second year of the raffle — the brainchild of Patty Malone, owner of Malone’s Grille in Scotts Valley, along with Scotts Valley Rotary and the Scotts Valley Exchange Club.
A drawing Dec. 21 will reveal the winner of a single grand prize, consisting of a basket full of gift certificates, gadgets and goodies from local businesses valued at $2,000. Among the contents are an iPad 2, a Kindle Fire e-reader tablet and a certificate for dinner for 20 at Bruno’s BBQ.
The raffle tickets are on sale at three banks in Scotts Valley — Bay Federal Credit Union, 255 Mount Hermon Road; Comerica Bank, 228 Mount Hermon Road; and Santa Cruz County Bank, 4604 Scotts Valley Drive — and at Liberty Bank, 6230 Highway 9, in Felton.
The tickets are $5 each or five for $20, and the proceeds will help VCUM provide food, toys, gifts, basic necessities and gift certificates to families, seniors and disabled and homeless people during the holidays.
Last year’s raffle raised more than $3,000 for the nonprofit, Malone said. This year, she hopes to raise twice that amount.