Home sweet home

Every year Bob Hookham says he sees the need for help in Thunder Bay growing while aid from the provincial and federal governments continue to shrink.

“With what’s happened in the world over the last few years with the economic crisis, it’s important for all the citizens in every community to try to pitch in and help their communities as much as possible,” said the chairman of the 2011 Fort William Rotary House lottery draw.

Over the past 25 years, the Fort William Rotary Club has raised nearly $4 million through their house lotteries and they plan to add to that again this year by raffling a 1,729-square foot, three-bedroom home in Sherwood Estates.

All the money raised stays in the Thunder Bay area. Thursday the club gave $60,000 to the George Jeffery Children’s Centre for new video conferencing equipment.

George Jeffery board chairman Bob Speer said they were recently told their video conferencing equipment was too outdated to be repaired if it breaks in the future.

“When we told (the Rotary Club) about it, they said they would look after it for us,” said Speer. “They’re going to replace all our video conference, which is used on a regular basis to help special needs children throughout Northwestern Ontario.”

Speer added that the help they receive not only from the Fort William Rotary Club, but countless organizations, is invaluable.

“A lot of the equipment is electronic and needs replacing quite often,” he said. “New and better things come out all the time; they’re very expensive, but they’re well worth it.”

Proceeds from the house lottery are also being given to the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre this year to go towards their new angioplasty unit and to the newly built Mary J.L. Black Library in Westfort.

And to celebrate the house lottery’s 25th anniversary, there will be a one-time $25,000 early bird draw on May 11 in addition to their regular 10 early bird prizes of $5,000.

The house will be open to the public every Saturday and Sunday up until the draw date of July 1 from noon to 5 p.m.

Tickets are available on site.

For more information visit http://www.fwrotary.ca.