By Gary Ogle
gogle@wbcowqel.com
A Michigan couple was only too happy to venture in Ohio and Crawford County on Friday even if it meant their return was in separate cars. Brian and Billie Briegel of Tekorsha, Michigan, were at Colonel Crawford to pick their grand prize for winning the Colonel Crawford Athletic Boosters Corvette Raffle – a 1956 black and silver convertible Corvette.
Brian talked about getting the phone call that informed him he was the winner and admitted he answered the phone only because Billie told him to, thinking it must be his mother since she was the only one that calls that late.
But Mom doesn’t give him the keys to the car – at least not that kind of car.
“Absolute surprise. It’s one of those things where you buy raffle tickets and always hope to win and never really kind of expect to,” Brian said. “Left you kind of dumbfounded. You never really expect that kind of thing to happen to you.”
Brian said he and his wife have been buying tickets in the local boosters’ Corvette Raffle since 2007 or 2008 and said they would turn down the cash option and take the car instead.
Brian said he’s not really a Crovette collector, although he did buy a 1980 Corvette once.
“We still have it,” Billie said.
Admiring the car he was driving home, Brian said, “That’s the thing from all the Crawford raffles, they’re all quite the quality cars.”
The raffle netted the Athletic Boosters over $100,000 according to one of the organizers, Mark Teynor.
“This is the 15th,” Teynor said, standing beside a 1965, red-on-red, hardtop with a 327-cubic inch motor putting out 300 horsepower and equipped with factory air conditioning. It will be raffled off next year. “This is the 15th anniversary so to speak.”
All the profits from those raffles allow the boosters to take on ambitious projects like the school’s all-weather track, field house and weight room, bleachers at the football field, football scoreboard, pool improvements, track equipment and new fencing for the softball field.
“I think it’s impressive what this group has done,” said Colonel Crawford Athletics Director David Sheldon. “In my nine years here, the amount of money that has been spent on athletic facilities is outstanding. We’re blessed to have a group like this to provide funds for our kids.”
Approximately 8,700 tickets were sold for last year’s raffle won by the Briegels. Every state was represented in those sales except Alabama. There were also orders coming in from Canada and Italy. The boosters already have their thoughts on next year’s raffle.
“They’ll start at the holiday weekend coming up,” Teynor said. “They can send their money in any time.”
Raffle tickets are $25 each or five for $100. Tickets for next year’s Corvette, a 1965 red-on-red hardtop, can be purchased online at www.colcrawfordcorvetteraffle.com. Those interested may also call 419-562-9312 or 419-468-7311.