Raffle to benefit the Van De Giesen family.

Once again, the hearts of two local communities will be opened to benefit the family of U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Kyle Van De Giesen.

On Thanksgiving morning at Beaupre Field in North Attleboro, the North Attleboro High School Gridiron Club will donate the proceeds of the 50/50 raffle to a scholarship fund for the two children of the former quarterback of the Red Rocketeers, who was killed in action piloting a helicopter in Afghanistan last month. On Nov. 7, fans at the North Attleboro-Mansfield game at Mansfield's Alumni Field were very generous and created a pool of more than $2,400, of which about $1,200 would go to the winner -- and the winning individual donated $600 of his booty back to the fund for the Van De Giesen family.

Raffles at the well-attended AHS-North holiday games usually fetch a pretty penny, so I hope fans of the Rocketeers and Attleboro High Blue Bombardiers will dig even deeper into their pockets and buy lots of tickets. I won't be going to that game (I've got King Philip at Franklin this year), but I'll give Gobis one of those bills that have a picture of the fellow that looks like Peter Gammons on it, and cross my fingers.

There's no better reason to play this 50/50 raffle, folks. As always, the AHS-North game will begin at 10 a.m., with the number likely to be drawn at halftime.