Four people will have a particularly happy Thanksgiving this year when the Board of Directors at the Theo Ratliff Activity Center holds a drawing on Turkey Day. The board will be drawing for four pairs of shoes donated by members of the Los Angeles Lakers. First prize will be an autographed pair of basketball shoes from Demopolis native and former NBA all-star Theo Ratliff. Second prize will be a pair of basketball shoes donated by point guard Derek Fisher. Third prize is an autographed pair of shoes worn by all-star Pau Gasol during the FIBA World Basketball Championships. The grand prize will be an autographed pair of shoes from multi-time MVP winner Kobe Bryant.

“All of these people have projects of their own,” Camilla Ratliff Eatmon said of the Laker players generous enough to donate shoes. “This is just another collective way that these guys support on another and nobody ever knows about it.”

The raffle, which charges $10 per entry, will help raise funds for the Ratliff Center, which conducts a number of programs for all age groups.

“We always can use additional funding and this was an excellent gesture from the Lakers,” TRAC Director Ed Ward said.

The idea for the raffle came about when Eatmon and the board were seeking a project to undertake as their first fundraiser.

“We needed a project to continue to support the activity center and its functions,” Eatmon said. “As board members, we are always looking for ideas to help support the center and its programs. We have not had a board fundraiser since we have been a board and I thought this would be a great one to have.”

Tickets for drawing are available at the Ratliff Center through Wednesday.