The new year rang in with visions of a mile-high trip for one man, and dreams of a youth shelter for a South Whidbey nonprofit.

Ryan’s House For Youth received two donated tickets from Alaska Airlines to help the construction of a youth shelter named after Ryan Busche. He, along with his wife and two other loved ones of Ryan’s House board member Sandy Gilbert, perished in the crash of Alaska Flight 261.

The planned youth shelter in Scatchet Head was named after Busche, and organizers are still raising money to help cover construction costs.

A raffle drawing was held New Year’s Day at the Paint Escape in Freeland.

With a room full of Ryan’s House supporters rife with anticipation, board member Angi Roberts and Gilbert pulled the winning ticket, number 1100. The winner was Gary Tisdale of Seattle.

The raffle sold 1,614 tickets and brought in a total of $8,070 that will go toward building the youth shelter in Clinton.

Lori Cavender, Ryan’s House executive director, thanked the many community supporters who purchased tickets over the past few months.

Tisdale is retiring this year and said he was “thrilled and excited” to be the winner of two round-trip tickets.