Luxury raffle winners claim their prize

Beach season won't be upon us until Memorial Day at the earliest, but sun and sand down the shore have been on our minds a lot recently, since the grand prize for Settlement's luxury raffle is a week's stay at a fantastic vacation house in Avalon, NJ. We've rattled off the description to countless people in recent weeks -- 10,000 square feet (seriously), nine bedrooms, 10 baths, etc. -- but we've only had one picture on hand to show off.

The entrance to the grand prize Avalon vacation home - more awaits inside!

 Not anymore! Last year's lucky winners, Mary and Bill Ludford, took the recent Easter holiday as an opportunity to bring their families down to Avalon and claim their prize, and we scooted down to Avalon to capture them in the midst of their relaxing getaway.

Mary and Bill Ludford - they bought their winning ticket at the 2011 Anniversary Gala

Throughout the week, the Ludfords are hosting over a dozen members of their family, including parents, children, nieces and nephews, and they're having their co-workers from PECO/Exelon over at the end of this week. All of their guests will see the light streaming in from outside, soak in the heated swimming pool and oversized tubs, and views of the surrounding bay and lagoons.

Sunset over the bay -- visible from decks on all three floors

This beautiful house, all of the experiences that come with it, and views like the one above could be yours: you can purchase tickets for the luxury raffle through Thursday, April 19. You can purchase them the night of the Gala like the Ludfords did, but why wait? You can buy them online here, and keep an eye on this blog and Settlement's Facebook page for more photos and teasers this week and next.