Saint Raphael Foundation raffle coming up

The Saint Raphael Foundation this year is offering $48,000 in Visa Gift Cards for its annual raffle, organizers said.
The cards are prepaid cards that can be used anywhere debit cards are accepted, organizers said in a statement.
A total of 1,500 raffle tickets are available at a cost of $125 each, entitling the ticket holder and one guest to attend a cocktail party and drawing from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. June 2 at Anthony’s Ocean View, New Haven.

Raffle tickets can be purchased up until the date and time of the raffle by calling the Saint Raphael Foundation at 203-789-3242, visiting www.srhs.org/raffle or emailing caringbygiving@srfinc.org.

The first prize is a $25,000 Visa Gift Card, second prize is a $10,000 card and third prize is a $5,000 card. Fourth- and fifth-prize cards are worth $2,500 each and the remaining three prizes are worth $1,000 each, the statement said. This year’s raffle is sponsored by Morrison Healthcare Food Services.

“We’re very excited about this year’s prizes,” said Barbara De Natale of Woodbridge, chairman of the event, in the statement. “With the economy still struggling to get out of this recession, we thought we would offer all cash prizes this year, or at least the next best thing!”

The Saint Raphael Foundation Raffle and Auction cocktail party on June 2 will feature a variety of hot and cold hors d’oeuvres, an open bar, live and silent auctions and additional chances to win thousands of dollars in cash in a supplemental raffle drawing, the statement said.

The Saint Raphael Foundation works to "sustain and strengthen the ability of the Hospital of Saint Raphael to care for patients as the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth promised when they established the Hospital of Saint Raphael in 1907: “To care for all in need, with respect, dignity, justice and excellence; regardless of race, creed or color, and regardless of ability to pay,'" the statement said.

In photo: Raffle committee members include, l to r, Lucy Sirico, executive director of the Saint Raphael Foundation; Barbara De Natale, chairman; Lorraine Cronin, Ellen Aversa and Sunny Jean Luciani.