Charities Lottery Updates

*** January 5  – 2021 Ontario Charities 50/50 Online Raffle ***

January 2021

Worthy brothers,

Further to the November 2020 announcement of the new 50/50 on-line raffle for 2021, the purpose of this communique is to inform you of the status of the first 50/50 Pilot of January 2021-March 2021.

Background
The Ontario State Council, the State office and a committee presided over by Brother Jaime Libaque, has been reviewing and finalising the details for the 2021 Ontario Charities 50/50 Raffle.

After several months of deliberations, the Ontario KOFC board of Directors adopted a digital raffle for 2021. This will consist of a 50-50 Raffle with 4 draws in 2021.

• Two professional companies (Village Media-marketing and Ascend-technical solution), with experience on on-line fund raising have been contracted.
• A license from the AGCO has been obtained

The first 50/50 raffle draw is scheduled for January – March 2021. The sale of tickets will start on January 20, 2021 and conclude on March 31, 2021. This will be a pilot, with limited participation of Councils. The pilot project will help us refine the existing procedures for the subsequent draws.

• The marketing company has recommended selected markets, where they have presence:
  • Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, Elliot Lake
  • Orillia, Midland, Barrie
  • Guelph, (Kitchener and Cambridge added)

Information Session and Training

The first information session was conducted via Zoom on December 28th, with 65 participants. Training will be provided in the next few days for the participating Councils.

The presentation material is available at the following link
https://ontariokofc.ca/knights/college-of-knowledge/
https://ontariokofc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/5050-Info-Session-Dec-2020-Jaime-Libaque-Denis.pdf

You could also watch the 55 min Dec 28 video on the 50/50 at
College of Knowledge – Ontario Knights Of Columbus (ontariokofc.ca)

Reminders

If you become involved in the sales of tickets, your council will enjoy the same privileges as you did in the previous paper-based lottery, and receive a similar percentage of the revenue, proportional to your sales.

We would like to encourage maximum participation councils, whether you participated in previous draws or not. The on-line 50/50 is a project which can be utilised during these COVID 19 pandemic times to generate some much needed funds for the Councils.

Vivat Jesus

Jaime Libaque
State Charities Lottery Director
50/50 Project Manager

January 5  – 2021 Ontario Charities 50/50 Online Raffle – Downloadable PDF

Click to read more Charities Lottery Presentation December 20, 2020 – PDF

*** November 27 Update: Councils and Districts Incentives Lottery Charities 2020 ***

Brother Knights

By this time you know who the 500 winners are from the draw of the 2020 Charities Lottery. The list is available at our website https://ontariokofc.ca/programs/lottery/2020-lottery-winners/. I am certain that those Councils that sold the winning tickets are taking special pride. Congratulations to the 500 winners and to the selling Councils.

Let us be mindful that the real winners are the Charities that would benefit from the funds raised. If those donations help bring a smile to a child’s face, feed the hungry, cloth the naked, help those most vulnerable or in need, then we would have accomplished our mission.

The incentives for the Councils and Districts have been finalized. The results are the following:

Council incentive for top sellers in 2020

Council incentive for Incremental sales

Incentive for New Participating Councils

District Incentives for Incremental Sales

The following were Key Success Factors for the 2020 Charities Lottery:

• Council Engagement. 334 is a nice number; it represents the # of participating Councils. Moreover, it speaks to the tradition and involvement of members and their families, selling tickets at churches, malls, events, etc. enhancing the presence of the Knights in the community.
• Resilience. Our collective ability to bounce back in the face of adversity (COVID restrictions) was demonstrated by the volume of sales. We came in only 8% lower than the previous year.
• Innovation. Our Councils were challenged to continue selling while observing health and safety protocols. They responded by using social media, telephone, e-mails, electronic transfers. And it worked!
• Organizational Support. This is all the work behind scenes to make this program successful. It includes licensing, printing tickets and posters, distribution, tracking and following up on sales, collecting tickets and payments; organizing the Draw using our giant rum, accounting and filing reports. As well, a concerted effort of regular communications was in place, including numerous emails, postings on website and phone calls. Thank you to the staff from the State Office for the great job.

It has been a privilege and an honor to serve as the 2020 Charities Lottery Director.

Vivat Jesus

Jaime Libaque
State Charities Lottery Director
50/50 Project Manager

*** November 10 Update: Announcement on 2021 On-Line 50/50 Raffle ***

Brother Knights

The purpose of this letter is to announce, on behalf of the State Board Officers, in conjunction with the State Charities Lottery Director, a change to the 2021 Charities Lottery. Specifically, effective 2021, the Ontario Knights of Columbus Charities Lottery will be a quarterly ONLINE 50/50 raffle.

Background
As you will appreciate, the COVID-19 restrictions have made our traditional paper-based lottery impractical. The profit margin between a prize board combined with an inability to sell tickets at commercial outlets is both too low and critically unpredictable. As a result, the State Board requested our State Charities Lottery Director to complete an in-depth review of our current practices with options for the future.

After a three-month review, our Charities Lottery Director and State Board Officers agreed that the best way forward to increase profit margins while providing some financial stability to the Charities Lottery program was through a quarterly online 50/50 raffle.
To that end, working with our State Deputy, Board members and the Executive Secretary, we have selected a Technology firm to administer the lottery and a Marketing company to promote the lottery online. Both have experience in on-line fundraising.
A Pilot project will be launched soon, followed by a province-wide on-line 50/50 raffle which will be explained at our next State Council convention in 2021. Tickets will be sold either online through a link on a website or using hand-held devices. Both forms of transactions are secure and protect your private information in compliance with all legal requirements for a licence in Ontario.

SUMMARY
Online raffles are the way of the future and it is critical that the Knights of Columbus in Ontario establish raffle presence before the online raffle market is saturated with similar raffles from other not-for-profit and charitable organizations.

As we embark on this new format let us never forget that the Knights of Columbus in Ontario have contributed to the welfare of this province for almost 125 years. This ability has come from a sound leadership and a shared vision of fraternity among its membership combined with its ability to adapt to the changing environment. Adopting the quarterly online 50/50 raffle in 2021 is but one more stepping stone the Knights of Columbus in Ontario are adopting so that they may continue to help our communities in a COVID-19 environment and many years after.

Over the next few weeks more details will be communicated to both Pilot project participants and to all Councils during the State Council convention in 2021. In the meantime, if you have questions, please contact either Jaime Libaque by email Jaime.libaque@rogers.com or by phone (416) 456-7084 or the State Office.

Let’s welcome the next phase of Charities Fund-raising!

Bruce Poulin
State Treasurer
50/50 Project Sponsor

Jaime Libaque
State Charities Lottery Director
50/50 Project Manager

*** SEPTEMBER 25 UPDATE : 2020 CHARITIES LOTTERY  ***

Worthy Brothers

• ⏰ TICK TOCK ⏰. LAST CALL ! Draw date Oct 30th is less than one-month away!
• Thank you to the Councils that have already submitted returns and to those that have reported on their sales to date. We have 160 responses (about 46% response rate, including those that have already submitted their returns). So far the proceeds from sales are $380,000.
  • For those that have not responded yet please take a moment to send me a one line email, for example: Council 12345, sales to date $2500. I’m following up with phone calls to those that have not responded.
• As you wrap-up the ticket sales and prepare to submit your returns please follow the instructions in the attached checklist. For your convenience, the form SO-19 can be downloaded by clicking on the link 19 https://ontariokofc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/form_SO-19_English_2017.pdf
• The deadline for returns is October 1st. However, if your Council is planning selling during the first few days of October please let us know, to accommodate you. Your co-operation by submitting your returns as soon as possible will be appreciated to avoid the last-minute rush and volume of work at the State Office.
• For questions or additional information feel free to contact either myself jaime.libaque@rogers.com or the State Office at stateoffice@ontariokofc.ca

Jaime Libaque
Ontario State Charities Lottery Director
Cell (416) 456 7084

For PDF file click below.

• September 25 Update 2020 Charities Lottery
• 2020 Charities Lottery Checklist
• Form SO -19

*** AUGUST 21 UPDATE : 2020 CHARITIES LOTTERY  ***

Worthy Brothers

• SELL, SELL, SELL….
• Let us avail ourselves of both proven ways to sell and be creative and innovative; for example Council 5073 from Burlington is planning to sell at the Mall in early September.
• Thank you to the Councils that responded to the survey from July. We have 88 responses to date (about 25% response rate, including those that have already submitted their returns). So far the proceeds from sales are $210,000.
  • For those that have not responded yet please take a moment to send me a one line email, for example: Council 12345, sales to date $2500.
• There is still time to sell more tickets.
  • You can order more books from the State Office. The more you sell, the higher the returns to your Council and more funds available for Charities. For those Councils that did not participate earlier, there is still an opportunity, just contact the State Office. Consider ordering a package of 10 books (worth $500).
  • For questions or additional information feel free to contact either myself jaime.libaque@rogers.com or the State Office at stateoffice@ontariokofc.ca

Jaime Libaque
Ontario State Charities Lottery Director
Cell (416) 456 7084

Click for PDF – August 21 Update 2020 Charities Lottery  

ONTARIO CHARITIES LOTTERY 2020

Worthy Brothers

• The COVID restrictions are gradually being lifted across Ontario; at this time only three Public Health Units : Windsor-Essex County, Peel and Toronto are not in Stage 3. Therefore, it is prudent to be prepared to resume our Charities Lottery activities, while following all the necessary COVID-19 Provincial Health & Safety Guidelines. The health & safety of our Knights of Columbus members as well as public safety is paramount.
• Let us be creative and innovative in our approach. Use of technology is encouraged. For example two Councils (13417 and 1388) reported beginning to use e-transfers to collect money from sale of books (tickets are being mailed to the buyers).
• With the revised draw date of October 30^th, 2020 we have more time to sell (note the deadline to return tickets is October 1^st, 2020). I wish to encourage all Councils to avail themselves of this unique opportunity of extra time.

• • You can order more books from the State Office. The more you sell, the higher the returns to your Council and more funds available for Charities.
  • The date on the ticket reads May 29^th, 2020 which may prompt questions from the buyers. Please take the time to explain the change of date and the reason. If it helps to change the date on the tickets, you could use a date stamper, stickers or change the date by hand.
  • If you are ready to submit your stubs and proceeds from sales please do it as soon as practical. Help us avoid the last minute rush. For your convenience find attached a checklist (PDF).

• We would like to have a snapshot of the current status of sales and need your help. With 346 participating Councils it is challenging to gather this information by phone calls. Please send me a very brief email: for example: Council 12345, sales to date $2500.
• For questions or additional information feel free to contact either myself jaime.libaque@rogers.com or the State Office at stateoffice@ontariokofc.ca

Jaime Libaque
Ontario State Charities Lottery Director
Cell (416) 456 7084
Attached: 2020 Checklist (PDF)

April 1, 2020

ONTARIO CHARITIES LOTTERY 2020

Brother Knights,                                                                   

Further to the State Deputy email of March 17^th, announcing the postponement of the date of draw of the Charities Lottery, this is to inform you that a favorable decision has been made. The revised date is October 30^th.

The target date for returns of proceeds and tickets to the State office is October 1^st

Find below some useful background information.

Background

The Ontario State Board with the help of the State Office has reached out to the (AGCO) Alcohol and Gaming Commission, to seek alternate arrangements for this year’s lottery. After discussions, an agreement was reached. The Draw will take place on October 30, 2020, 10 am, at the Holiday Inn Hotel & Convention Centre in Burlington, Ontario.

• Find enclosed the new license which allows us to hold the Charity Foundation Lottery draw on October 30, 2020.

Click Charity Foundation Lottery October 30

• Enclosed is a copy of the updated Lottery Poster for the council’s usage. You may wish to print it at home, or have it printed locally. Ontario State will only provide a digital copy of the poster.

Click Updated Lottery Poster

• Also enclosed is a copy of the letter which you can show to all ticket buyers advising them of the new draw date and the reason for the delay.

Click Letter for Council date change October 30, 2020

• Please note that when sales start up again you will have to physically change the date of the draw on each ticket sold. You may wish to do this ahead of time. For consistency we would ask that you cross out the date and neatly enter the 30 October 2020 on each ticket.

Recommendations under COVID circumstances

• Refrain from selling tickets face to face until we all receive the “all clear” signal regarding the COVID 19 pandemic from the Chief Medical Advisor for Ontario.

• Please keep all unsold and sold tickets in addition to the sale proceeds in a safe location.

Note that the State Office staff have been working from their respective residences as of March 25, 2020.  With remote access to all our files, the membership should not see any change in the standard level of service. Phone calls, emails and mail will be answered as per the normal method.

Please look for a future updates and feel free to contact either the State Office at  stateoffice@ontariokofc.ca  or myself at CharitiesLotteryChairman@ontariokofc.ca or Jaime.libaque@rogers.com

Fraternally yours,

Jaime Libaque
Ontario State Charities Lottery Chairman
Cell (416) 456-7084