If so, it's a shame it's come to that. In many respects, there
have been sad laments as to how ROFF isn't what it used to be, blah,
blah, blah. People come, people go, and the overall personality may
change a bit; but it's still essentially SSDD. But bitching about
the clave raffles? What's next, complaints about the quality of fly
swap flies?

Now, I've been to a few claves and was a one-time Penns Clave
rafflemeister, and I'll allow as to there having always been some
grumbling about inequities in the booty distribution; but this is the
first I've noticed (and granted, I haven't been paying attention)
that the nature of the raffles has changed to the point that people
give donations with an expectation of receiving some return of greater
or equal value. I'm chagrined.

Why back in the "good ol' days", I remember when folks used to donate
stuff out of the goodness of their ROFF souls. ROFFians would send
stuff in with no expectation of receiving *anything* in return, much
less complaining about a gift from another. Zimbo's bamboo, Mike
C's rods, and Frank's quilt are but a few of the wonderfully
generous items once donated out of generosity, not of greed. These
events were supposed to be for fun, not profit. (I mean, who really
wants a Big Mouth Billy Bass?). IMHO, if anyone donates to a raffle
just to be eligible to receive a prize, they should just stay the hell
out of it.

I don't know who or under what circumstances your donation was
criticized; but if that's what the raffles have become, then good
riddance indeed.