A local man donated more than $1 million of his recent lottery winnings to the Homer Foundation, in the foundation’s largest-ever gift from an individual.
Jules Ravin, who won more than $13 million in the Lotto Alaska drawing on Aug. 4, has given $1.2 million to the foundation.
The gift — donated on behalf of Jules and his family — was announced at the Nov. 14 foundation annual meeting, held at Kachemak Bay Campus. The event was attended by more than 100 local residents.
Ravin, in comments provided during the meeting, said he didn’t really think too much about putting his name in for the lottery. “I just bought some tickets and decided to take a shot at it. Nobody ever really expects to win.”
Ravin, a 1984 graduate of Homer High School who has lived in Alaska since 1971, said he wants the funds to contribute to youth programming.
He said support for youth — specifically groups like the Boys and Girls Clubs — has been something that he and his wife, Dawn, have been talking about for years. With the lottery win, there was no better thing to contribute to, he said.
The donated funds have been put into an account that’s bearing interest managed by the Homer Foundation. “Interest from that account will go towards the operating costs in a youth club, hopefully forever,” he said.
The fund will be called the Ravin Community Fund for Youth Programming and will provide support for youth activities and after-school programs, the foundation announced in an undated press release prior to the Nov. 14 meeting.
“I know it’s going to take a while and we’re just taking the first step in the community. I’m glad that everyone’s here to see it, because I’m hoping that we can get a lot of other people involved,” Ravin said during the Nov. 14 meeting.
In the release, Executive Director Stacey Schultz said the Ravins’ gift is inspiring to the whole community.
“They could have done anything with this, but their first thought was to give back to their community and create an example that can inspire others. This speaks not only to the character of the Ravin family but also to the character of the Homer area community.”
Other meeting updates
Other information provided before announcement of the Ravin Fund included acknowledgment of volunteers, introduction of current board members and the retirement of Mike Miller, who was the executive director for five years.
Schultz, who is replacing him, came to Homer from the Marshfield Area Foundation in Wisconsin, where she was the director for five years.
Past President Van Hawkins, standing in for current President Denise Pitzman, also shared some of the vision of the foundation.
“Even with the leadership change, our mission remains the same. It’s to serve the people and to improve the quality of life of people at the southern Kenai Peninsula, from Ninilchik to Nanwalek and all places in between.”
Hawkins also noted some of the current priorities addressed at a recent strategic planning meeting that the board felt necessary in order to generally better function and support organizational goals. The features he mentioned were: “building internal capacity, consideration of the legacy of the society and how to build stronger ties to communities outside of Homer.”
“We do love the community of Homer but we are meant to serve the entire Kenai Peninsula.”
Homer Foundation Executive Director Stacey Schultz, left, receives from Jules and Dawn Ravin an honorary $1.2 million check to support youth in the community at the foundation’s annual board meeting at the Kachemak Bay Campus , Nov. 14. (Photo by Emilie Springer/Homer News)
