2017 BRICKPICKER LEGO RAFFLE 2.0 FOR ST. PAUL SCHOOL

[Ed Mack]

Hello LEGO fans...Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. It's that time of year again. Time to raise money for my son Max's school, St. Paul School, in Burlington, NJ. After a very...VERY...successful first BRICKPICKER LEGO RAFFLE in which we raised over $62,000.00 for the school, a year has passed, and it’s time to raffle off some dynamic LEGO gifts for charity. The money we raised last year literally kept the school open...which is a great thing. It's a special school that once again was voted BEST Private School in Burlington County, NJ, by The Burlington County Times, along with numerous other awards, such as:

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE 2017 BRICKPICKER LEGO RAFFLE FOR ST. PAUL SCHOOL!

• Best Private School
• Best PreK-Nursery School
• Best Teacher
• Best Fundraiser
• Best Music Instruction
• Best Tutor Service (Junior National Honor Society)

As I stated last year, St.Paul School (SPS) and its community are wonderful. People from all races and religions attend St. Paul School. Besides excelling in educating the children, the school does a tremendous amount of charity for local people in need. From food drives to helping out at local retirement homes, the children of St.Paul School are required to perform “service hours” that are designed to teach generosity, altruism and instill a hard-working, disciplined attitude. Excellence is expected and permeates through St. Paul School and the faculty and student body, so does a sense of goodness and frugalness. We make a little money go a long way. For example:

• All grade levels (Pre – K through 4) are scheduled for “Specials” each week...such as art, music, library, computers, and physical education
• St.Paul School is nationally accredited by “AdvancED” (the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement – NCA – CASI.
• SPS middle-school students have three periods of Spanish and are testing into Spanish II for High School.
• SPS provides more periods of physical education each week than is required by the State.
• SPS provides multiple extracurricular activities such as: LEGO Robotics Club, Science Club, Vocal Choir, Rosary Group, Tonal Chimes, Hand Bell Choir, Crafty Kids Club, Basketball (Boys/Girls), Indoor Soccer, Cheerleading, Yearbook Club, National Junior Honor Society (NJHS), Student Council, MATHCounts, STREAM (Science Technology Religion Engineering Art Math, Activity Tutorial Period (ATP for 5th-8th grades)

But all is not wonderful though. As many of you know, many Catholic schools have a hard time making ends meet. Enrollments are down due to weak economic conditions throughout the world. Even superb schools like St. Paul School have a hard time keeping the doors open. While we did pick up 25 new students this past year to ease the financial burden, we will still be way short of breaking even; thus the need for the 2017 BrickPicker LEGO Raffle 2.0. This year’s version of the LEGO raffle will start with TEN awesome prizes.These include:

PRIZE #1 BRICKPICKER MEMBER RAFFLE LOT:

• 21301 Birds (Salimr)
• Comic Con Throne of Ultron (echin313)
• Comic Con Dagobah Mini-Build (echin313)
• A mint 7144 Slave I (echin313)
• A mint 8001 Battle Droid (echin313)
• 10218 Pet Shop (exciter1)
• Rio Olympic Mascots set (Emvisawthatswho)
• 70816 Benny's Spaceship (Brickcrazyhouse)
• A special custom LEGO snow globe (Flanagan Bros Inc)

PRIZE #2 BRICKPICKER MYSTERY RAFFLE LOT (OVER 5000 PIECES):

• A bundle of quality LEGO sets from multiple themes that will far exceed 5000 pieces!

PRIZE #3:

• 10220 - VW Camper T1 Van
• 42056 - Porsche 911 GT3 RS

PRIZE #4:

• 10227 - UCS B-Wing
• 75060 - UCS Slave I

PRIZE #5:

• 10221 - UCS Super Star Destroyer

PRIZE #6:

• $500 Amazon Gift Certificate

PRIZE #7:

• 75159 - UCS Death Star
  • OR
• 10188 Death Star

PRIZE #8 CHOICE OF:

• 75827 - Ghostbusters Firehouse Headquarters
  • OR
• 71040 - Disney Castle

PRIZE #9 CHOICE OF:

• 10225 - UCS R2-D2
  • OR
• 10197 - Fire Brigade
  • OR
• 10228 - Haunted House
  • OR
• 10211 - Grand Emporium

PRIZE #10:

• 10255 - Assembly Square
• 10251 - Brick Bank

This year’s total prize value exceeds last year’s total by over $1000.00. Last year we had 11 raffle prizes and winners from around the world. From Vancouver, Canada to Reno, Nevada to Miami Beach, Florida to the Isle of Man, United Kingdom and everywhere in between, generous raffle participants were rewarded with awesome LEGO prizes. The 2017 BrickPicker LEGO Raffle 2.0 can be found here on the secure Rally.up.com site:

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE 2017 BRICKPICKER LEGO RAFFLE FOR ST. PAUL SCHOOL!

Like last year, we will ship the prizes to anywhere across the globe. If there is an issue with shipping or prizes, a comparable prize and/or shipping method will be arranged with the winner. Last year, the LEGO BrickPicker Raffle worked very well. The Rallyup.com site is a first class, secure site that made this all possible. They also issued the school a big fat check. All raffle proceeds and donations benefit the school directly by bridging the gap between what tuition covers and actual educational costs. It also raises money to upgrade the school’s technology, keeping St. Paul School ahead of the academic curve with a dynamic curriculum. The prizes have been donated by Jeff and I, the St.Paul School PTA and by some very generous BrickPicker members. I am hoping, like last year, that more people will donate sets after the raffle begins. It was fun adding to the prizes last year. You never know what can pop up as a prize!

On a personal note, I would like to thank every person who donated sets/money and/or bought tickets to last year’s LEGO BrickPicker Raffle. It saved a wonderful school and kept dozens of people employed and 175 kids with their friends and teachers. I don’t like asking, but will anyway...please help out again this year. Even buying one ticket can help and it gives you a chance to win some great prizes. Watching the raffle ticket total rise every day was an intense rush and extremely gratifying experience. It made me so proud to have started this site with my brother Jeff and made me realize there is still good in this world…

The contest will end on February 7, 2017 at 11:59 PM. Winners will be notified by Rallyup.com. If you are a winner, please contact me on the site so we can confirm the prizes and shipping addresses. The Rallyup.com site works very well and is secure, so please feel confident in donating to the school and purchasing raffle tickets. All the money goes to St. Paul School, which is a 501(c)(3), and to Rallyup.com for running the raffle. I will make every effort to supply the winners with the appropriate prizes. If there are shipping issues, inventory issues or potential problems beyond my control, I will make sure the winners are awarded LEGO sets/gift cards comparable to the original prizes. Any questions, ideas or concerns, please reply below or PM Jeff or me...

TICKETS AVAILABLE UNTIL: February 07, 2017 at 11:59 PM EST

DRAWING DATE: February 08, 2017 at 12:00 PM EST

Thanks again!

Ed Mack

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[Ed Mack]

I don't want to get anyone upset, but I hope the guy from NJ wins.

[hadrake]

34 minutes ago, Ed Mack said:

I don't want to get anyone upset, but I hope the guy from NJ wins.

....totally NOT selfish ...???

[Alpinemaps]

I don't know why you guys are arguing. I bought the winning ticket for the Disney Castle today. And the winning ticket for the B-Wing.

[donbee]

I joined the $100+ club!

How about you?!

[AirborneAFOL]

I joined the $100+ club!
How about you?!

Yep! During the live broadcast

[river41]

20 minutes ago, AirborneAFOL said:

Yep! During the live broadcast

you were the one that asked which is the best deal?

[AirborneAFOL]

you were the one that asked which is the best deal?

Yessir.

[TANV]

Just dropped in my contribution. Best of luck to you, @Ed Mack!  Being a product of Catholic education, I totally understand its worth and value.

[Ed Mack]

Just dropped in my contribution. Best of luck to you, [mention=20]Ed Mack[/mention]!  Being a product of Catholic education, I totally understand its worth and value.

Thank you. There are many quality schools struggling to make ends meet. I appreciate all the contributions and would like to remind people that we do have to pay a commission to the Rallyup site for running this, so even a $10 raffle ticket helps the school. Inch by inch as they say.

[TANV]

45 minutes ago, Ed Mack said:

Thank you. There are many quality schools struggling to make ends meet. I appreciate all the contributions and would like to remind people that we do have to pay a commission to the Rallyup site for running this, so even a $10 raffle ticket helps the school. Inch by inch as they say.

I think it's more like...brick by brick.

[belljohn]

The suspense to $20,000 was killing me.  No longer is.  Now to push to $30,000.  Let's go folks.

[Ed Mack]

17 minutes ago, belljohn said:

The suspense to $20,000 was killing me.  No longer is.  Now to push to $30,000.  Let's go folks.

We are at 302 contributions.  We had 1200 last year.  If 900 people gave $10 each, we would hit $30,000.  I know we have some wiggle room here.  The site is as busy as it was last year.  Economy is about the same.  I need people to step up and I'm not afraid to ask anymore.  Time is running out.  If people are buying a boatload of sets, they can afford $10 for a good cause and a chance to win some great sets.  Heck, they have a better chance to win than last year.

[Juan Carlos Gonzalez]

23 hours ago, Brian Briggs said:

 

It's not that I want to dash anyone's hopes but... the Ghostbusters HQ will be mine.

Dream on! Mine I say. Mine!

20 hours ago, Ed Mack said:

I don't want to get anyone upset, but I hope the guy from NJ wins.

I second that. Go guy from New Jersey! (said the guy from New Jersey)

[LucySPSMOM]

We've been spreading the word on our end best we can - please consider liking and sharing the post to spread it even further.  THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!  We're getting there . . .

[Ed Mack]

I'm trying so hard to raise money for the school, I am raffling off my car...

 

[HandyHand]

22 hours ago, Ed Mack said:

We are at 302 contributions.  We had 1200 last year.  If 900 people gave $10 each, we would hit $30,000.  I know we have some wiggle room here.  The site is as busy as it was last year.  Economy is about the same.  I need people to step up and I'm not afraid to ask anymore.  Time is running out.  If people are buying a boatload of sets, they can afford $10 for a good cause and a chance to win some great sets.  Heck, they have a better chance to win than last year.

I contributed last year, and I contributed this year. 

And I will already make this promise now: should I win one of the raffles I participated in this year, I will definitely join the $100 club in next year's raffle !  

[AirborneAFOL]

We are at 302 contributions.  We had 1200 last year.  If 900 people gave $10 each, we would hit $30,000.  I know we have some wiggle room here.  The site is as busy as it was last year.  Economy is about the same.  I need people to step up and I'm not afraid to ask anymore.  Time is running out.  If people are buying a boatload of sets, they can afford $10 for a good cause and a chance to win some great sets.  Heck, they have a better chance to win than last year.

Hey Ed, I'm gonna advertise the raffle on my Facebook and whatnot. What do you think would be the best link to promote? Just the RallyUp page, the announcement on this site, something else?

Gimme the ideal link and I'll be sure to get it promoted through the (modest) channels I have at my disposal.

Thanks!

[Jeff Mack]

I would just send them directly to the fundraiser.

https://stpaulbrl.rallyup.com/st-paul-2017

 

[Ed Mack]

Just for you wondering whose car that is, it's a person who rents high end cars out as a business.  He is generously donating a day rental for the next school fundraising event.  

 

[Alpinemaps]

8 hours ago, Ed Mack said:

I'm trying so hard to raise money for the school, I am raffling off my car...

 

I'm a bit of a sucker for an awesome map.  Tells you where my priorities are - I noticed the map before I noticed the car.

[Bold-Arrow]

1 minute ago, Alpinemaps said:

I'm a bit of a sucker for an awesome map.  Tells you where my priorities are - I noticed the map before I noticed the car.

i just noticed that it was a map ...lol

[thebrickdad]

In for $100 -

 

Any chance of allowing PayPal payments in the future as I've had to put this through a UK Credit Card and will be hit by the Card Co using their own exchange rate. This is a shame as I have US$ sitting in my Paypal account that could have been sent as a gift.

 

 

[banshee3]

24 minutes ago, thebrickdad said:

In for $100 -

 

Any chance of allowing PayPal payments in the future as I've had to put this through a UK Credit Card and will be hit by the Card Co using their own exchange rate. This is a shame as I have US$ sitting in my Paypal account that could have been sent as a gift.

 

 

Unfortunately this is a restriction on the PayPal side. They don't allow charity or raffle transactions if I recall...

[Guest brickcrazyhouse]

30 minutes ago, thebrickdad said:

In for $100 -

 

Any chance of allowing PayPal payments in the future as I've had to put this through a UK Credit Card and will be hit by the Card Co using their own exchange rate. This is a shame as I have US$ sitting in my Paypal account that could have been sent as a gift.

 

 

pm Ed. he will be able to make it work

 

 

[waddamon]

I thought this raffle happened already?