St. Lawrence Catholic School Hosts Successful Meat Raffle Fundraiser

The first-ever event drew a large crowd and raised funds for student resources.

Apr. 19, 2026 at 3:18am

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A brightly colored, high-contrast silkscreen print of a single, iconic meat item such as a steak or lobster tail, repeated in a tight grid pattern to capture the energy and visual style of a community meat raffle fundraiser.A community-driven meat raffle event brings excitement and funding to a local Catholic school.Rochester Today

St. Lawrence Catholic School in Rochester, New York hosted its inaugural meat raffle fundraiser on Saturday night, drawing a packed room of community members eager to win various cuts of meat and other prizes. The 11-round event featured drawings for bacon, prime rib, lobster tail, and more, with ticket prices increasing throughout the night to add to the excitement. All proceeds from the raffle will go directly back to the school to provide supplies and resources for students.

Why it matters

Meat raffles are a unique and popular fundraising format, especially in the Midwest and Northeast, that bring communities together around a fun, interactive event. For St. Lawrence, hosting this first-time meat raffle demonstrates the school's creativity in finding new ways to engage supporters and generate critical funding for student programs and needs.

The details

The meat raffle featured 11 rounds, each with three separate draws for different cuts and selections of meat. Items up for grabs included bacon, prime rib steak, and even lobster tail. As the night went on, ticket prices increased every couple of rounds, adding to the excitement. In addition to the meat raffles, attendees also had the chance to win themed baskets and other prizes through separate drawings.

  • The meat raffle took place on Saturday night, April 19, 2026.

The players

St. Lawrence Catholic School

A Catholic school in Rochester, New York that hosted its first-ever meat raffle fundraiser.

Brennan Sommers

News 8 at Sunrise reporter who served as the emcee for the meat raffle event.

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What’s next

School leaders say they hope to continue hosting similar meat raffle events in the future to raise funds for student resources.

The takeaway

Meat raffles provide a unique and engaging way for community-focused organizations like St. Lawrence Catholic School to bring people together and generate critical funding. The strong turnout and excitement around this first-time event demonstrates the potential for meat raffles to become a successful annual tradition.