Should 3rd Graders Be Raffling an Assault Rifle?

The debate over gun control in our country is even louder after the school shooting in Florida.  No matter which side you are on we all agree that we need to find a way to stop these senseless, devastating shootings from happening.

With that in mind, I find this quite concerning.  Some 3rd graders from Neosha, Missouri are continuing to sell raffle tickets for an AR-15 assault rifle. The 9 year-olds plan to use the money to pay for the expenses associated with their traveling baseball team.  The team's coach, Levi Patterson, says the raffle was started before the Parkland, Florida school shootings. “We appreciate your ‘concern’ but please understand, we are not, have not, and will not force one of our boys to sell raffle tickets for the Black Rain AR15 Spec 15, if they are uncomfortable doing so.''

At least 2 other gun raffles in the U.S. have been canceled after the shooting.   According to kansascity.com the organizers considered finding a different raffle item, but ultimately decided to “turn it into a positive thing”.

I'm not sure what the positive is and I'm not saying that whoever "wins" this gun will use it to do something like shoot children in a school, but isn't there another way to raise the money?