A year ago Wynona Fullum bought a $2 raffle ticket at Intercity Shopping Centre, figuring she was supporting a good cause.
Little did she know her name would be drawn and she’d take home the $10,000 first prize as a result.
The 50-year-old said she used the money from the annual Intercity Shopping Centre 50/50 cash draw to send her daughters on separate trips to Chicago and throw herself a birthday party last spring, an event she used to raise even more money for charity.
“It’s for a good cause and it’s local,” she said on Wednesday, helping Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation launch this year’s raffle, buying the first ticket in support of the hospital’s $5.9 million Exceptional Cancer Care Campaign.
“If you can manage to throw in a couple of bucks and donate to the hospital or Shelter House or a worthy cause, that’s great.”
Foundation director Clint Harris said the money will help the hospital leverage about $26 million from upper levels of government as the facility attempts to upgrade its cancer care program.
“We’re currently at a little more than $3 million toward the $5.9 million campaign, which makes it an exceptional campaign of course because (patients) can get the support and the medical treatment they need right here in Thunder Bay,” Harris said.
“When it comes down to it, the people who have to deal with cancer and the situations with families having to travel to get the type of care they need, it’s important for people and families to be closer together during the very sensitive time. This is the opportunity for us to get the equipment we need.”
One hundred per cent of the proceeds from the draw will stay in Northwestern Ontario, Harris added.
Tickets, which can be purchased at Intercity Shopping Centre’s information kiosk near the food court, are on sale until Dec. 23, or, like usual, they sell out.
The draw will be held Dec. 23 at 2 p.m.
