PARIS – The Rape Education and Crisis Hotline (REACH), the sexual assault support center serving Oxford County and the towns of Bridgton and Harrison, raffled off chances to win works by renowned area artists at the Bethel Art Fair and the Norway Sidewalk Art Show.

The tickets are available through the REACH office as well. They are $20 each. Winners of the raffle will be drawn on Sept. 1.

“We are thrilled to have such great work donated to the agency. There is such support for our work in the community and so many people have stepped up to help us to raise funds to ensure that our services are available,” said Executive Director Shari Smith.

“We are committed to honoring the work of our area artists by insuring we collect the full value of the pieces in the raffle. In the past we have had beautiful pieces donated and sold severely below their value.

“We honor and deeply appreciate the support of local artists and have decided that this time, we will raffle off the pieces only when we have sold the number of tickets equaling their value.

“The artists donate their works to help support our work of ending sexual violence. When we get less than what the piece is worth, we lose and the artist loses. We believe that our community wants to supports our work of providing support and advocacy to victims and survivors of sexual abuse and assault and we believe that our community values our area artists.

“You have the chance to win a $350 piece by Pat Chandler or Duncan Slade for $20. We believe people see great value in that for REACH, for the artist and for themselves, and it means people have a way to benefit the people REACH serves, benefit community artists and perhaps benefit themselves, too.”

This year’s auction items include pieces by Arla Patch, Chandler, Slade, the late Pat Rusconi, Madeline Wikler and a no-longer-released framed print titled “Winter Sunday in Norway, Maine.”

The agency has had a major fund-raising drive to raise $41,000 that includes building an emergency reserve fund of $25,000. It must raise another $6,000 to meet the immediate need of $19,000 by Sept. 1.

To purchase a raffle ticket, stop by the office at 1 East Main St., South Paris, or call 743-9777. The pieces will be on display there until the drawing.