As a result of a Facebook push late last week, the Les Turner ALS Foundation moved up 25 places from 100th place to 75th place in competition for $5 million in grants from JPMorgan Chase.

That was good enough to win a $20,000 grant from JPMorgan.

Things went viral towards the end, with the winner getting a whopping 93,534 votes. Here is a link to the Charity Leaderboard.

Les Turner is on the 8th page with a total of 2469 votes.

Thanks to everyone who voted. It was an uphill battle because the demographic profile of bloggers who simply do not use Facebook that much.

Raffle Reminder and Totals Update

September 27, is the last day on which you can purchase raffle tickets, but donations continue.

If you are unfamiliar with the raffle, please see My Wife Joanne Has Passed Away; Stop and Smell the Lilacs.

My wife, Joanne, of 27 years succumbed to Lew Gehrig's disease (ALS), on May 16 of this year.

Results as of Monday 9-24-2012

• Donations $45,266
• Tickets $311,400
• Corporate Sponsorships $30,000
• JPMorgan Grant Campaign $20,000

Les Turner gets half of raffle ticket sales and 100% of everything else. Thus the direct benefit to Les Turner as a result of the above is $250,966.

Corporate Sponsors

GoldMoney and SitkaPacific were $10,000 donors. The other corporate sponsor was anonymous.

Also the Hussman Foundation is matching (Up to $100,000) any donation (not raffle tickets) made between August 29 and September 27.

Please see Investment Conference Featuring John Hussman, Michael Pettis, Jim Chanos, John Mauldin, Mike "Mish" Shedlock, Chris Martenson for details of a Wine Country Economic Conference as well as the Hussman Foundation's very generous matching grant.

Donations From 40 Countries

Donations have come in from 40 countries now, up from 22 on May 15.

If times are tough, and they may very well be, then please consider a cash donation of $10 or more. Every bit helps.

Checks

To make a cash donation by check or money order, please send a check or money order to:

Lacey Wood
Mish Campaign
Les Turner ALS Foundation
5550 W. Touhy Avenue, Suite 302 Skokie, IL 60077
847.679.3311 (Main)
Any questions, please call the above number.

Credit Card

You can make a donation or purchase raffle tickets by credit card on the Les Turner ALS Site.

Raffle Ticket Entries are split 50-50 with ticket buyers in a drawing to be held November 8. Ticket sales end September 27, but you can still make a donation at any time.

Some people emailed they did not like entering the information fields required. However, the purpose is only to ensure the foundation knows how to get in touch with raffle winners!

People move, phone numbers change, and email addresses change. It's as simple as that.

The site is secure.

Tickets Sold

There have been 1557 tickets sold. Raffle ticket numbers will be assigned randomly by October 12 with the drawing on November 8.

There are 10 winners, so as of Monday, there is roughly a 1-in-156 chance of winning a nice dollar prize. Compare that to your state lottery!

1st Prize (10/60th of total pot)
2nd Prize (6/60th of total pot)
3rd Prize (3/60th of total pot)
4th Prize (3/60th of total pot)
5th Prize (3/60th of total pot)
6th Prize (1/60th of total pot)
7th Prize (1/60th of total pot)
8th Prize (1/60th of total pot)
9th Prize (1/60th of total pot)
10th Prize (1/60th of total pot)

I expressed prize amounts in 60th's to so you can see 50% (30/60) of the money going to ticket holders. As of now 10th place would be worth about $5,190 and first place a very nice $51,900!

Philosophic Point of View

Whether you make a donation or not, please stop and smell the lilacs. Joanne did, at every opportunity.

Once again ... Goodbye Joanne we love you and miss you.