The Healing Arts Center building looks pretty darn good for 100 years old.
With her lemon yellow paint and country flowers out front, she is an established landmark in Eastsound – and home to 20 island practitioners.
Yet the farmhouse is not without need of a few repairs, and most urgently, the building needs a new roof.
In June, the Healing Arts Center, a non-profit, was the recipient of an Orcas Island Community Foundation grant of $1000, which will go towards buying a new metal roof, which is $15,000.
To pay for the remainder, the center launched a raffle campaign in August. The deadline to use the community foundation money is February 2011.
“It’s going great – we’ve sold more than half the tickets already,” said Holly Berman, an acupuncturist and doctor of oriental medicine at the Healing Arts Center. “We have about 300 tickets left.”
The raffle is a bonanza of 25 prizes aimed to heal. There will be a drawing of 22 or more bonus prizes that include donations from local island businesses and gift certificates for one-hour treatments with each of the specific practitioners at the center. Third prize is a coupon book of three one-hour treatments, valued at $210. Second prize is a coupon book of six one-hour treatments, valued at $420. The grand prize is a coupon book of 12 one-hour treatments with any of the practitioners, valued at $840. These coupons can be used by the winner, may be given away as gifts, or donated to other non-profits on island to benefit their fundraising needs.
The raffle drawing will be held at the Healing Arts Center on Nov. 18 at 5 p.m. Ticket holders are invited to be present at the drawing, however winners need not be present to win.
“As with any raffle, there were a lot of ticket sales initially and then a lull,” Berman said. “There are lot of people in the community who want to help the Healing Arts Center.”
Tickets are $20 each or a book of six for $100. The center will sell a maximum of 777 tickets, making the odds of winning a prize better than 1 in 30. Tickets are available from any of the Healing Arts Center practitioners or at the reception desk, Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Once the $15,000 goal is reached, the center will seek additional funding for a water catchment system.
“This is the first year we are doing a raffle,” Berman said. “It’s an old, historic building that is in constant need of repairs. We plan to do a raffle again next year to have funding to take care of the building.”
To donate
To make a contribution to the preservation of the Healing Arts Center, an account has been established at Islander’s Bank called “The Healing Arts Center Abundance Fund.”
