The grand-prize winner of the ninth annual Santa Barbara Million-Dollar Home Raffle, Siriporn Mangkalakiri of Garden Grove, recently visited Santa Barbara to meet staff from the raffle beneficiary, the Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum, and accept the $1 million grand prize.
Mangkalakiri, a first-time buyer, purchased two tickets in this year’s raffle and won the grand prize: the choice of the million-dollar home or $1 million cash.
“I have never won anything!” Mangkalakiri said while visiting the home. “This is the best day of my life! We are forever grateful to Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum.“
The ninth annual raffle raises much-needed funds for CAF, the premier location for contemporary art between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Buyers hoping to win either the home or some of the $1.2 million in prizes called in from throughout California and as far away as New York, Maine and Massachusetts.
More than half of the ticket buyers were from Santa Barbara County, and local winners included Tom Moran ($20,000), Mark Rabatin ($10,000) and Greg Bell ($4000) — all of Santa Barbara. The final drawing took place on May 18 in Santa Barbara’s Paseo Nuevo Shopping Center and the money raised helps funds the arts, stays in the community, and keeps arts accessible and free for all.
“We are really excited for this year’s grand prize winner and her family, as well as the other prize winners,” raffle manager Sarah Hotarek said. “This year a first-time buyer won the grand prize, which goes to show that anyone has a chance! In addition, the long list of other prize winners from Santa Barbara County shows an amazing amount of local participation.”
This year’s grand prize was a spacious home with ocean views, an open floor plan and indoor/outdoor living space. The home, valued at $1.1 million, is located in the Santa Barbara area, one of America’s most picturesque and charming communities. As always, there is a $1 million cash alternative to the home. Ticket buyers also had the chance to win thousands of dollars in additional prizes ranging from cars, vacations, shopping sprees, electronics and more. The fundraiser benefited CAF and six other local nonprofits.
The Santa Barbara Million-Dollar Home Raffle is one of the longest-running home raffles in California, and its successful ticket sales have enabled the fundraiser to offer the grand prize of a $1 million Santa Barbara home or $1 million in cash every year. In addition, more than $10.7 million in prizes have been awarded in this and the last eight raffles.
Click here to see a list of this year’s winners, nonprofit partners, member benefits and raffle details.
The Santa Barbara Million Dollar Home Raffle started in 2004 and is sanctioned as a fundraiser by the California Attorney General’s Office (registration No. R-2251). Raising sufficient funds, the raffle has given away its grand prize in all of its raffles. Tickets are sold for $150 each. This year’s grand prize drawing took place on May 18 in Paseo Nueveo’s Center Court in Santa Barbara. Click here for more information.
— Kyle Ashby of Kaldera Marketing represents Santa Barbara Million-Dollar Home Raffle.