FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

24-001

Fifth Annual PFD Education Raffle Drawing

Thursday, January 25, 2024 (Juneau, AK) – Today, the fifth annual drawing of the PFD Education Raffle was held in the Lieutenant Governor’s Office in Juneau. Department of Revenue Commissioner Adam Crum, Department of Education & Early Development Commissioner Deena Bishop, and Senator Click Bishop drew four winners from the 9,994 entries.

“The Education Raffle is a great and unique opportunity for Alaskans to take their individual payments from our oil and investment resources and reinvest them into educational opportunities for children,” said Commissioner Adam Crum, Alaska Department of Revenue. “This year more than $437,000 will go towards our children’s education, and I’m grateful for all who continue to participate in this program.”

House Bill 213 established the PFD Education Raffle in 2018, allowing Alaskans to donate money from their PFD to public education in $100 increments per entry. In the past 4 years, the Education Raffle has had a total of 36,105 contributions totaling over $3.6 million for education. 

“I am grateful for the continued and growing participation in the PFD Education Raffle and the Education Endowment Fund,” said Senator Click Bishop, the original sponsor of the legislation creating the raffle and fund. “Four Alaskans won cash prizes today, but the real winners are the children of Alaska as we take another important step to invest in their education.”

As prescribed by law, 50% of the fund balance is allocated to supplemental education grants, 25% is allocated to the Education Endowment Fund, and 25% is allocated to the raffle fund. Of the raffle fund, first prize is 8% of the raffle fund; second prize is 4%; third prize is 2%; fourth prize is 1%; and the remaining 85% of the raffle fund will grow the fund for future year prize money.

“With a total contribution of over $3.6 million for education, it is clear that Alaskans care about education as they support schools with their own funds” said Commissioner Deena Bishop, Alaska Department of Education. “Through this program, we can, in turn invest in our most important resource - our children and their futures.”

The 2023 PFD Education Raffle winners are as follows:

1st prize:  $ 69,727.92 – Deborah Main

2nd prize: $ 34,863.96 – Vassily Zavoico

3rd prize: $ 17,431.98 – Melanie Wahl

4th prize: $ 8,715.99 – Gary Lehnhart

For more information on the PFD Education Raffle, click here.

The event is available to watch on the Governor’s Facebook page and YouTube page.

###

Media Contact: Aimee Bushnell, (907)465-6829, aimee.bushnell@alaska.gov