Those looking to support the higher education of local high school students can do so in an unusual way: they can enter to win a shotgun.

The Masonic Temple in Dowagiac, representing the areas of Cassopolis, Decatur and Dowagiac, is currently selling raffle tickets for a shotgun designed for hunting. All money raised from the sales will go toward funding college scholarships for two Decatur students, one Dowagiac student and one Cassopolis student.

Tickets are $10 each or three for $25, and can be bought until Oct. 14, when a drawing for the shotgun will take place.

“We’ve been giving away these scholarships for 10 years,” Masonic Temple  President Jess Cooper. “I don’t want to say they have been a financial burden, but money is always tight, so this year we decided to raffle off a shotgun to offset our costs.”

The idea to host a shotgun raffle came after seeing other temples and organizations host similar fundraisers, Cooper said. 

“It seems as though everyone who auctions off a shotgun does pretty good with it,” Cooper said.

After deciding on the shotgun raffle, Dowagiac Masons said they shopped around for the best gun, deciding on one that is designed for duck and poultry hunting, as well as deer hunting.

The winner of the raffle must go to Hale’s Hardware in Dowagiac to pick up their prize, where they will be subjected to a background check. If the raffle winner fails the background check, they will be given $500, the shotgun’s estimated value, in place of the gun.

“Even if you just don’t want the gun, which I don’t know why anyone wouldn’t, they will still give you $500,” Cooper said.

The important part of the raffle is not necessarily the shotgun, but that it will benefit area children, Cooper said.

“We think the scholarships are good for kids because every little bit helps,” he said. “We always do what we can to help, and if people buy tickets, they can win a shotgun and also help these kids.”

The scholarships are $500 per student, and are awarded based on the strength of each student’s application for the scholarship.

Ben Anderson, a mason from Cassopolis, said he understands the need for the scholarships, as he has recently begun taking some courses at Southwestern Michigan College.

“One of my classes was about $900, not including books,” Anderson said. “Nine-hundred dollars would go a really long way when paying for classes. I think [the scholarships] are absolutely necessary.”

Both Anderson and Cooper said they were proud of what the Masonic Temple is able to offer area students in terms of scholarships, and are potentially looking into awarding more scholarships in the future.

“We want to help these students use their degrees to help the community,” Anderson said. “Scholarships can help them do that.”

To purchase raffle tickets, people may contact any local mason or contact Cooper by email at peninsularlodgenumber.10@gmail.com.