CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Linda Rouland of Chester held the winning ticket drawn on Sept. 11 in a charity raffle of a 1978 silver anniversary edition Chevrolet Corvette Stingray.
Sam Polo, who donated the classic car, presented Clearlake Police Chief Craig Clausen with the proceeds of the raffle, putting Clearlake officers $9,800 closer to being outfitted with body cameras.
A total of 100 tickets were made available in the raffle, priced at $100 apiece.
Bob Kiel, of the Lakeshore Lions Club, which assisted with ticket sales, said people from all over – including from Oregon – bought tickets.
“We should have sold 150 tickets,” Kiel said.
Polo, who owns Main Street Bar & Grill, is a longtime community contributor, especially to law enforcement, hosting Tip-A-Cop events and other fundraisers.
He said he bought the car from a retired highway patrol officer and decided he wanted to use it in a fundraiser.
“(Body cameras) really work best for the police officer and the public,” Polo told Lake County News. “It makes people think twice about what they are doing. It helps prevent liability suites against city and it increases the safety of the officer.”
Polo threw in a surprise second place prize at the time of the drawing, which took place before the Clearlake City Council on Sept. 11.
That additional prize – a vacation in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico – went to Frank Willis of Clearlake.
Winning tickets were drawn by Mayor Denise Loustalot with the assistance of Lakeshore Lions Club members.
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