Raffle winner gives back

David Irvine, Henderson (N.C.) Daily Dispatch
·2 min read

Dec. 27—HENDERSON — What do you do with all that money when you win $10,000 in a raffle?

You might invest part of it in the community that promoted the raffle.

That's what Lt. Gen. Peter Kind (U.S. Army, retired) did after he won the Henderson Rotary Club's raffle in October.

Kind was the guest speaker at the Rotary Club's Dec. 7 meeting. At the conclusion of his presentation, he announced what he will do with his $10,000 raffle prize.

He handed a check for $1,000 to Rotary Club President Greg Etheridge. He said the other recipients of his "community investments" were:

—Boys and Girls Club of North Central North Carolina — $500.

—Edmonds Tennis and Education Foundation — $500. Edmonds uses tennis to provide academic and athletic opportunities for under-resourced youth

—Community Partners of Hope Inc. — $500. The organization provides temporary shelter for homeless men and assistance in becoming self-supporting.

—Gang Free Inc.— $500. Gang Free helps at-risk youth and ex-offenders move toward productive citizenship and participates in other activities to make the community healthier and safer.

—McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center — $250.

—Vance County unit of the Salvation Army — $250.

Etheridge said members of the Rotary Club sold raffle tickets totaling $24,400. The club will use the proceeds for education-related purposes. Each year the club sends students to the Rotary Youth Leadership Camp, hosts a banquet for local North Carolina Scholars winners and provides scholarships to local youths.

Rotary Club member Archie Taylor, who sold Kind the winning raffle ticket, introduced Kind and gave a brief biography of the general. Kind served in Vietnam, South Korea, Germany and several posts in the United States. During his career, he served as head of NATO's communication system and as the Army's chief information officer at the Pentagon.

Kind holds a bachelor of science degree from the University of Wisconsin and master of business administration from Harvard University. He is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and the U.S. Army War College.

He is a member of Pohick Episcopal Church in Fairfax County, Virginia, which was George Washington's home church. Kind said he intends to make a contribution to his church out of his remaining raffle winnings.