For nearly three decades, the annual car raffle at the Seminary Picnic has been a highlight of the weekend and a major fundraiser for St. Vincent Schools. This year, the tradition continues with a chance to win a 2025 Chevy Trax, along with cash prizes and St. Louis Cardinals tickets, while at the same time, supporting the mission of the St. Vincent Educational Foundation.
Amanda Winkler, a member of the foundation and a St. Vincent alumna, said the car raffle has become an event that extends well beyond the borders of Perryville.
“Eugene Keller and his wife, Velda, were the original owners of the Keller Automotive Group across from Walmart,” Winkler said. “They were really big supporters of St. Vincent’s and thought, ‘How can I make a difference?’ In his case, with him being a business owner, he started donating cars.”
The tradition began nearly 30 years ago when the Keller family first partnered with the St. Vincent Educational Foundation to provide a vehicle for the drawing. Today, their children, Steve Keller and Roxie Buchheit, continue what their parents started.
“It’s now into the second generation,” Winkler said.
Key fundraiser
Founded in 1983, the St. Vincent Educational Foundation (SVEF) exists solely to ensure the long-term sustainability of the school system. Proceeds from the raffle help fund teacher bonuses, tuition assistance, technology upgrades, renovations, and other school needs.
“The St. Vincent Educational Foundation only has a few primary fundraisers, and this is the second biggest one after the St. Vincent Auction,” Winkler said. “Right now, it’s back-to-school time, so the teachers have a wish list. We’ve also just approved a new speaker system for the high school gym, and in recent years, we’ve funded new roofs and big technology improvements.”
Over the years, the car raffle has proven to be a strong revenue source. In 2015, it raised $16,916, and in the past decade, it has twice exceeded $60,000 in profit. Much of its success, Winkler said, comes from the strong sense of tradition and loyalty among alumni.
“I think it has more to do with the tradition and wanting to support St. Vincent Schools,” she said. “As an alum myself, it is so evident as the years go by, the amount of support that continues from people who graduate from St. Vincent. If we looked at the numbers, I guarantee that, of the tickets we sell online, the majority of them are alumni as opposed to people from the community.”
Community spirit
Winkler said the broader Perry County community also supports the raffle.
“That’s one thing that I feel is really neat about Perry County,” she said. “They will support a fundraiser for Saxony Lutheran High School or Perryville High School — it doesn’t necessarily have to be a fundraiser for St. Vincent’s. I just feel like we stick together and help each other out, especially when it’s for a good cause.”
The raffle has become a multigenerational tradition, with families and businesses purchasing tickets year after year.
“It’s something I have witnessed since I was a little girl,” Winkler said. “Grandparents will buy tickets for their children or grandkids. My mom still buys a ticket for me, my brother, and my sister every year, hoping we’ll win a car. Businesses in Perryville will buy a ticket for every single one of their employees — sometimes 20 or 30 at a time — because they want to enter every one of their employees in the drawing, which is really cool.”
2025 raffle details
This year’s grand prize is a 2025 Chevy Trax. Winkler noted the foundation could not secure a 2026 model due to supply delays.
“There was just some kind of delay in getting a 2026 model, and we didn’t want to risk the car not being here,” she said.
Additional prizes include cash awards of $250, $500, and $1,000, as well as two sets of St. Louis Cardinals tickets. Tickets are priced at $20 each or three for $50. Tickets are available through noon on Friday, Aug. 1, at Buchheit and the St. Vincent Parish Office. They can also be purchased online or at the Blue & Gold Stand, where the car will be parked throughout the Seminary Picnic.
The raffle drawing will take place at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 3, at the picnic grounds. Winners do not need to be present to claim prizes. Participants must be at least 18 years old to enter. For more information about the raffle or to purchase tickets, visit seminarypicnic. org.
