EAST CANTON — The East Canton Youth Baseball Association is one of many youth sports leagues that hold gun raffles every year. Some around the country have canceled similar events in light of the recent school shootings.
In February, Willowick canceled their fundraiser whose top prize was an AR 15 rifle.
But East Canton is standing its ground, despite criticisms that have come their way. Everyone we spoke to was in support of this event, saying the community loves to hunt and it's a huge part of the East Canton culture.
We spoke with David Spencer, President of the East Canton Youth Baseball Association. He's been getting a lot of comments about the league's gun raffle, which usually brings in $5,000 in proceeds.
"For us, the people I report to are the parents in my youth organization, so they'll tell me when they want to change," Spencer says.
Spencer adds the organization has tried other fundraisers, such as candy sales, but they didn't bring in nearly as much as the gun raffle. And while many folks from neighboring communities have expressed concerns, those in East Canton love their guns.
"Right now, they're solidly behind this fundraiser, they're actively involved in it, so we don't see any immediate need in the future to change what we're doing," he says.
The league has more than doubled in size since 2012 and the gun raffle helps to keep costs low for parents.
"I think it's ridiculous for people to hide behind social media, internet and phones to sit there and attack the whole situation," says parent Kayleigh Richards.
Spencer says ticket sales for this year have actually skyrocketed after the controversy. They plan to hold their gun raffle on April 29, as scheduled.