Something which is a perennial annoyance for me, but especially at this time of the year, in the run-up to Christmas: raffles / draws mounted by organisations to which one belongs. I am a member of several railway preservation societies, and they all send me, with seeming great frequency, booklets of raffle tickets which they hope I will sell to people with whom I interact. Other, non-railway, outfits too -- one feels sometimes, "they're all at it, non-stop".
It could well be that this is a thing which works well for many people; but it doesn't for me. I'd feel -- and this has been so for me for decades past -- uncomfortable and embarrassed at thus, in my view "hitting-up for money" relatives, friends, or work colleagues (for no matter how worthy a cause). I "get" the idea that it's cash-soliciting in the socially legitimised guise of a bit of fun -- by taking part, one might just end up getting something greatly worth having; though the overwhelming probability is, money down the drain. Nonetheless -- personality quirks, or whatever -- it's a thing which for a very long time I've hated to do to people, and so have not done. And it's an extremely long while since anyone has approached me to try to sell me a raffle ticket for whatever outfit they may be affiliated with. One can only assume that the countless organisations which go in for this stuff, do so because overall it benefits them -- however, I'd bet heavily on very many people feeling about the matter, as I do; and (non)-acting accordingly.
I'd be interested to hear other people's thoughts on this matter, and how they handle it -- would imagine that many participants on RailUKForums are inundated the way I am, with raffle tickets "to sell", from belonged-to railway societies.
Could it be that many embarrassed souls such as myself -- presented with twelve or twenty or forty or whatever, raffle tickets to try to sell -- sometimes make out say five of them in their own name, and send in with remittance, the stubs for those only: thereby doing some salving of their conscience, plus the very-outside chance of being a winner? I do wonder whether the raffle-ticket-spinners rely more on many people's doing just this; than on folk selling tickets by the dozen, to their various contacts?
I have on occasions, found a small way of retaliating against being in this way, "guilted into contributing"; by introducing a note of farce, in the shape of writing on the stubs, "nonsense" names / identities, who thus couldn't win even if their numbers came up: such conceits as -- G. Stephenson, Wylam, Northumberland; I.K. Brunel, Bristol; G. Hudson, York; L. Stanford, Sacramento, California -- etc. This done, and appropriate remittance sent to the raffle-organiser; seeing it as being understood that I am, in an unusual and humorous way, selflessly making a donation to them. I've received comments (from random people, not from raffle-organisers) to the effect that my doing this is potentially inconsiderate and disruptive -- scenario seen, of the draw being done in a public meeting of the organisation; and confusion and embarrassment if a winning ticket turned out to be in the name of one of my "nonsense" submissions. That idea had never crossed my mind; had envisaged the draw being done (with total honesty) in private -- and presumably, with agreed procedures in place, should a winning ticket turn out to be in whatever way, "not kosher". I'd be interested in folks' thoughts re this point.
It could well be that this is a thing which works well for many people; but it doesn't for me. I'd feel -- and this has been so for me for decades past -- uncomfortable and embarrassed at thus, in my view "hitting-up for money" relatives, friends, or work colleagues (for no matter how worthy a cause). I "get" the idea that it's cash-soliciting in the socially legitimised guise of a bit of fun -- by taking part, one might just end up getting something greatly worth having; though the overwhelming probability is, money down the drain. Nonetheless -- personality quirks, or whatever -- it's a thing which for a very long time I've hated to do to people, and so have not done. And it's an extremely long while since anyone has approached me to try to sell me a raffle ticket for whatever outfit they may be affiliated with. One can only assume that the countless organisations which go in for this stuff, do so because overall it benefits them -- however, I'd bet heavily on very many people feeling about the matter, as I do; and (non)-acting accordingly.
I'd be interested to hear other people's thoughts on this matter, and how they handle it -- would imagine that many participants on RailUKForums are inundated the way I am, with raffle tickets "to sell", from belonged-to railway societies.
Could it be that many embarrassed souls such as myself -- presented with twelve or twenty or forty or whatever, raffle tickets to try to sell -- sometimes make out say five of them in their own name, and send in with remittance, the stubs for those only: thereby doing some salving of their conscience, plus the very-outside chance of being a winner? I do wonder whether the raffle-ticket-spinners rely more on many people's doing just this; than on folk selling tickets by the dozen, to their various contacts?
I have on occasions, found a small way of retaliating against being in this way, "guilted into contributing"; by introducing a note of farce, in the shape of writing on the stubs, "nonsense" names / identities, who thus couldn't win even if their numbers came up: such conceits as -- G. Stephenson, Wylam, Northumberland; I.K. Brunel, Bristol; G. Hudson, York; L. Stanford, Sacramento, California -- etc. This done, and appropriate remittance sent to the raffle-organiser; seeing it as being understood that I am, in an unusual and humorous way, selflessly making a donation to them. I've received comments (from random people, not from raffle-organisers) to the effect that my doing this is potentially inconsiderate and disruptive -- scenario seen, of the draw being done in a public meeting of the organisation; and confusion and embarrassment if a winning ticket turned out to be in the name of one of my "nonsense" submissions. That idea had never crossed my mind; had envisaged the draw being done (with total honesty) in private -- and presumably, with agreed procedures in place, should a winning ticket turn out to be in whatever way, "not kosher". I'd be interested in folks' thoughts re this point.
