Raffle Tickets

Car dealers in the county and nation are riding out a recession thathas reduced the number of car sales. But that woe hasn't stopped 20 Harford County dealerships from joining a campaign to raise money forthe state's homeless.For every car that is sold, participating dealers are donating $10 for a raffle ticket in the name of the buyer for a $200,000 house. Cash raised in the raffle will go to Action forthe Homeless, a Baltimore-based group assisting the homeless.The raffle will take place Oct. 26. A brand new house in Anne Arundel County, built and donated by Ryland Homes, will be given to the winner.

MOVERS AND SHAKERS: Finally, there's some real action for the homeless. At a Center Club breakfast this week, Lou Grasmick, Baltimore's fund-raising rainmaker, unveiled plans to raise at least $250,000 for Maryland's homeless.He rounded up many of the state's movers and shakers, who have agreed to sell $10 raffle tickets for the "House with a Heart" between now and the drawing Oct. 26. The winner will move into a $200,000 Ryland home located in the Seven Oaks Development in Anne Arundel County.

WHENEVER I look in the mirror, the face staring back belongs to a man who has never won a raffle in his entire life.He has never won a late-model Cadillac. Never won a 27-inch color TV. Never won three matching pieces of Samsonite luggage. Never won a basket of cheer.Never even won a turkey.Think about that for a minute: Here's a man who NEVER EVEN WON A TURKEY. EVERYBODY wins a turkey. I know 6-, 7-year-olds who have won so many turkeys they have to stuff them under their beds because there's no more room in the freezer.