The result of several months’ work from students and representatives from Catholic United Financial was showcased Monday as a crowd gathered at Bemidji’s St. Philip’s Catholic School to honor the 14th annual Catholic United Financial Raffle.

“We’ve raised over $10 million,” said Catholic United Financial President and CEO Michael Ahles. “And this was a great way to be able to invest not just in the Catholic school system but also in the future of our faith.”

Over 80 Catholic schools across the state participate in the raffle by selling tickets to members of their community, the funds of which are put directly into schools such as Bemidji’s St. Philip’s.

“The kids are really proud of the work they did and [to] be able to give back to their school,” said St. Philip’s Catholic School Principal Jana Norgaard.

“They [St. Philip’s] raised over $22,000 to support Catholic education from a sale of a $5 ticket from Catholic communities,” explained Catholic United Financial Regional Director Greg Gall.

As well as raising $22,070 for their school, St. Philip’s also sold the winning raffle ticket this year, which saw a member of the community take home the grand prize.

“The top prize was $20,000,” said Gall, “and that was won by Tami [Wesely], a local person from the Bemidji area, so it was exiting that we were up here to present her with her $20,000 check.”

This excitement was infectious within the school as the student body gathered for the presentation of the grand prize.

“It’s always a momentous event for us to be able to do that,” said Ahles. “It’s pretty cool, it’s a feeling unlike any other feeling I get in the work I do to run our financial services business.”

In addition to raising funds for Catholic schools, the raffle also rewards each school’s top seller with a karaoke machine for their work.

By — Justin Othoudt