Luck Picks a Favorite at Chamber Holiday Party

The most unusual prize snagged by Bill Kerber in Wednesday's  raffle?

Probably the rabbit cage.

The most valuable prize he won? The $250 gift certificate for Trader Vic's — the most expensive of numerous prizes given out.

Kerber was the top prize-magnet in the raffle at the El Cerrito Chamber of Commerce annual holiday luncheon, which drew 40 guests to the . Among the five gift certificates he won, Kerber also took the second most valuable prize, a $200 certificate for dinner for four at Post Meridian, the California French cuisine restaurant in Kensington.

"He's lucky," said organizer Judy Pope of  as she handed him the Trader Vic's card.

"I'm doing my Christmas shopping," a smiling Kerber said as he collected still another prize, an emergency flashlight.

Kerber, who operated El Cerrito's Freeway Motel for 25 years and served on the Chamber of Commerce board 20 years, had given luck a nudge by buying a relatively large number of tickets. He spent $70 at the rate of 6 tickets for $5, netting him 84 tickets, which he spread out on the table before him and watched with the attention of a hawk surveying a field known to be inhabited by plump mice.

His most distinctive gift perhaps was a carry-bag donated by  senior, Amy Chou. Chou, 17, started her own business selling the "1997 California" bags that she designed and whose production she personally arranged on a trip to China last summer.

Chou and classmate Rebecca Phuong, 17, were presented at the luncheon with in a chamber-sponsored essay competition. They also each received a letter of commendation from U.S. Representative John Garamendi, whose district includes El Cerrito.

The raffle, a fund-raiser, brought in $355 from raffle-ticket sales for the Salvation Army. It also gathered nearly half a tall barrel of non-perishable food items.

Giving donations to the Salvation Army marked a change in past practice, when raffle proceeds went to the chamber, said chamber President John Stashik. "It's been a tough year for our people, so we're going to give them food."