Letter from Janet Staub, winner of the 2009 Granada Getaway raffle

What could be a more fun way to do good with our money? We agreed that purchasing raffle tickets to win an all expenses paid trip to Granada, Nicaragua would be both tantalizing and satisfying. Satisfying, because we knew that our contribution would really make a difference in Granada. The sponsor of the raffle, Building New Hope, makes intelligent investments in schools, scholarships, and veterinary services. Tantalizing, because we loved dreaming about our fantasy trip to Nicaragua every year, even if it didn't come true.

And then, after the third year of buying raffle tickets, we won! We were shocked! A FREE one week trip to sunny Nicaragua! (In the middle of a gray Seattle winter, at that!) In fact, we remained in a perpetual state of surprise throughout our week in Granada, because we never imagined the kind of welcome we received. We felt as if we were being treated like royal guests. Best of all, the personal hospitality of Donna and the graduates of the Building New Hope schools was priceless.

Have you ever felt kind of lost when traveling in a foreign country? Not us! Our guides helped us with our every whim. They led a hunt for the frilliest, fanciest aprons in Granada, hidden in the midst of hundreds of stalls in the labyrinthine marketplace. They accompanied us on a horse-back ride on the rim of an ancient crater lake. They even helped us feed bananas to over-friendly monkeys while boating in the Isletas of Lake Nicaragua. Most of all, though, we enjoyed hearing the stories of a couple of young men who were facing insurmountable odds by age 6 or 7, and who, with the guidance of Building New Hope staff, volunteers, and director, have become remarkable young men. Buy your raffle tickets! You can't lose: you end up with either an unforgettable trip, or the knowledge that you are supporting an incredible organization. Everybody wins when you support Building New Hope.