The Rotary Club of Thunder Bay’s annual Canada Day House Lottery is hitting the big stage in 2014.
On Thursday the service club said this year’s draw will take place July 1 at Marina Park, breaking from tradition and the usual hotel conference room they’ve used in the past.
“We think that’s going to be a very big event for us this year,” said organizer Gordie Garriock, introducing this year’s grand prize, a $459,000, 1,745 square foot, three-bedroom Sunflower Drive home.
Featuring a four-piece main bathroom and ensuite, granite countertops and hardwood floors, the home is the centrepiece in a draw that also features $50,000 worth of early-bird draws consisting of 10 $5,000 prizes.
Proceeds from the draw will benefit the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation, the second year of a five-year, $500,000 commitment they made to the hospital’s ambitious $5.9 million Excellence in Cancer Care campaign goal.
“Partnership is a word we often throw around. But this truly is a partnership,” said Health Sciences Foundation president and CEO Glenn Craig.
“We have stitched the two organizations together to make a huge success. We truly have one of the best facilities in Ontario and in all of Canada and it’s thanks to groups like this.”
Rotary president Richard Khoury aid their organization is all about giving back to the community. In its 28th year, the House Lottery has given close to $5 million since its inception.
Khoury said there have been bumps along the road, but he’s confident the lottery will continue to grow.
“In past years it’s been getting better and better,” he said. “Last year was a record-setting year. We sold over 7,900 tickets.”
He’s confident the number can top 10,000 in 2014.
Tickets are available at a number of locations throughout Thunder Bay, include Balmoral Park Acura, J.B. Evans, the Best Western Nor’Wester Hotel, the Airlane Hotel, George’s Market and George Jeffrey Children’s Centre, who will also benefit from this year’s draw.
For more information, visit www.fwrotary.ca.
