THUNDER BAY - “You’re kidding me, right?!”
That was Violet Durant’s reaction after learning over the phone she had won over $17,000 in the Intercity Shopping Centre’s annual 50/50 draw.
For Intercity General Manager Stacey Ball, who was on the other end of the line, making that call is a major perk of the job.
“It’s one of the best days here at Intercity, when I can phone somebody and tell them they’ve won a big chunk of cash just before Christmas,” she says.
But Durant won’t be the only one benefitting. The draw is in its 20th year of raising funds for the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. Recently, those proceeds have been directed toward the hospital’s campaign to build a cardiovascular surgery program. Patients currently have to travel to southern Ontario or Winnipeg for heart surgery.
Over its 20 years, the draw has raised over $230,000 for the hospital, with this year’s proceeds included. This year’s total was among the highest in the contest’s history at $17,322.50.
“It’s tremendous support,” says Elaine Graydon, the hospital’s Manager of Special Events. “There’s never been a situation where we haven’t sold out.”
Graydon also noted the contributions of volunteers who staff the 50/50 table at the mall for several weeks.
The highest possible winnings for the draw are $25,000. That’s if all tickets were bought individually, for $5 each, rather than the cheaper three for $10.
Ball says Intercity initially committed to holding the campaign for 10 years. After doubling that commitment and seeing the success of the campaign, there are no plans to stop.
“I don’t anticipate us ending it anytime soon,” Ball says. “Why would we?”
