POST FALLS — When Sherry Mundt received a phone call from the Post Falls Chamber of Commerce on Thursday night, she said she thought a sales pitch was headed her way.

"I nearly gave them an abrupt, 'Sorry. Thanks, but no thanks,'" Mundt said during an interview with The Press.

But she's glad she heard the caller out.

On the line was Graydon Stanley, North Idaho College's vice president of student services, informing Mundt via speaker phone in front of about 45 people at the chamber of commerce's Member Appreciation Party that she had just won the nonprofit's first $25,000 college scholarship raffle.

"That would have been embarrassing (turning Stanley away)," said Mundt, who lives south of Coeur d'Alene.

When Stanley broke the news to Mundt, she said, "Are you serious? Oh my God. You just made my day."

Mundt said she didn't realize the raffle was on Thursday, so she was dumbfounded over the call.

"Isn't that the most awesome news ever?" she said. "I'm so jacked."

Mundt said she and her husband, Larry, have contributed $100 each year at Christmas toward scholarships for children of Mica Flats Grange families, so they decided to spend $50 of that this year on the raffle.

The investment paid off big time and the scholarship will be used for the grange's scholarship fund.

"The money will be very appreciated," she said. "I'm bursting inside and can't wait to share this with our committee."

When asked why she doesn't plan to use it for college herself, she replied with a laugh, "I'm an old broad; I don't need to go to school."

About 425 tickets were sold at $50 each. Mundt will have 90 days to designate who will be the specific recipient of the funds.

The recipient will have up to six years to use the money on tuition or books at NIC, the University of Idaho or Lewis-Clark State College.

"We appreciate everyone who invested in a ticket and bought into the idea of the program," said Jamé Davis, the chamber of commerce's CEO.

Pam Houser, the chamber of commerce's previous CEO who was among those who got the ball rolling on the raffle, was in attendance.

Davis said the goal was to sell 500 tickets so this year's raffle broke even. In future years, if more tickets are sold, a portion of the proceeds will be used for educational programs at the chamber of commerce.

"The first year was a ramping up period, and we'll be more aggressive (with ticket sales) next year," Davis said.

She said the chamber will begin organizing the raffle for next fall in about a month.