THUNDER BAY – Sometimes karma is a good thing.
It was for Jody Spencer.
The Thunder Bay-area woman was at the Tournament Centre a few months ago and saw a raffle table set up, the grand prize a $225,000 lakefront lot.
She wasn't really playing to win, but when she saw the proceeds of the draw were going to worthy organizations like the Thunder Bay North Stars, Special Olympics, St. John Ambulance, the Regional Food Distribution Association, Roots to Harvest and Our Kids Count, she decided to buy a ticket.
Put on by the North Stars, Spencer told dozens watching on Facebook Live she just wanted to do her part to help out.
“I just bought a ticket to support and didn't expect to win,” said Spencer, reached Friday night by organizers of the Win A Lakefront Lot draw, informng her that she indeed was the grand prize winner.
“I'm shockingly happy,” she added.
The North Stars Mike Tallari said it was a tough year to try to introduce a new fundraising event of this magnitude, but in the end it all worked out.
“We were looking at different options to not only raise some funds to help cover some of the operating costs of the Thunder Bay North Stars season, but also we wanted to do it in a charitable way. So for every few bucks that we made, to be able to donate a few and have a positive impact in the community was great,” Tallari said.
“We were kind of looking at different ideas. There was a whole group of us and somebody kind of set out the idea of a lottery or raffle opposite of the House Lottery, more of a cottage or a camp or a piece of property.”
Tallari said it was great to see a community-minded person take home the lot, situated along the shores of Lake Superior.
“She said she bought a ticket to support the cause, which is always good and nice. I think her heart was in the right place.”
Spencer said she hadn't had enough time to decide what to do with the lot, whether to build on it, hold on to it or sell.
