Yuma judge donating basket he won in raffle

A Yuma judge is donating a gift basket he won recently in a raffle to a south Yuma County woman who is suffering from breast cancer.

"This was all donated stuff," said Yuma Justice of the Peace David Cooper. "I decided if there was a way I could donate the items to someone who could benefit from them, I should."

Cooper won the gift basket, which is worth about $250, in a drawing held Oct. 29 by the Kofa High School Cheer Boosters.

"I bought the ticket because it was for a good cause. I almost never win anything so I never gave it another thought."

Cooper said he will be giving the basket to Gadsden resident Lourdis Aranda, who is currently undergoing chemotherapy, on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. at the Justice Court office.

"I think it's a really nice and thoughtful thing to do," said Kofa cheerleader Jessica Perez.

The basket, which is about a foot and a half tall and covered with pink cellophane wrap-type material, is filled with several items, such as a coffee mug, an umbrella, a quilted blanket, cookies, two gift certificates for dinner at local restaurants and a $139 gift certificate for a massage.

Keeping with the basket's theme, most of its contents were pink. Pink ribbons are used as the logo of Breast Cancer Awareness Month every October.

Perez said the raffle was intended to support breast cancer awareness and the $460 raised in ticket sales from the raffle is being donated to The Hospice of Yuma.

The money, she said, will be given specifically to women who have survived breast cancer so they can buy wigs and other prosthetics.

Kofa cheerleader Melissa Moreno expressed her gratitude to everyone who bought tickets for the raffle, saying they helped make a difference in someone's life and supported a worthy cause.

"I think it goes a long way in helping make people aware of just how common breast cancer is, and how many women are suffering through it," she said.

Perez agreed and had a similar message to raffle participants who did not win.

"It doesn't only affect the women, it affects their friends and families," Perez said. "I think people should get involved and help women who are going through it by showing all the support they can."