THUNDER BAY — Word is getting around about the phenomenal popularity of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation's 50/50 draw.
After only one year, the online hospital fundraiser is one of the most successful of its kind in Canada.
Foundation CEO Glenn Craig and the foundation's digital engagement expert participated last fall in a western Canada fundraising conference, where they spoke about the local model and shared their experiences.
"From our service provider, I understand that – outside sports like the Blue Jays and a nationally-televised one – we have the largest true 50/50 draw that they know of," Craig said in an interview Tuesday.
To date, the program has raised somewhere in the vicinity of $6 million for the purchase of equipment for the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.
Organizers are currently in the process of finalizing their year-end revenue and expenses.
Craig and his team's initial target was in the modest six-figure range, but "that first draw was over $900,000, so that just blew us away. It totally blew us away and all our expectations," he said in an interview Tuesday.
Sales in the succeeding months fluctuated until December saw the prize reach a record $2.34 million.
"It was beyond all our expectations again," Craig said.
By comparison, he said, the prize for the Health Sciences North 50/50 in Sudbury in December was only $888,000.
"We sort of look at our colleagues across the North, and Sudbury's the closest. They were closing in on a million dollars, and didn't quite make it."
Craig attributes the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation's ability to convince area residents of the draw's importance to the community and the region.
"I think it's the team we have here, who really are able to connect the dots for people, to show the impact of what those dollars mean, as well as just getting the word out there as to who the winners are."
He said whenever he gets out into the community to talk to people, invariably he meets someone who has a connection to one of the winners.
"In Thunder Bay, it's one degree of separation I guess. So they see the impact, and they can see the winner. I think that really appeals to people."
December's draw also saw the largest number of ticket purchases made so far by people outside Northwestern Ontario.
Ironically, the winner of the bonus draw was a resident of the Sudbury area.
"She heard about it from her mother-in-law. So it's not just social media, but word-of-mouth that's spreading it around," Craig said. "The draw in December really attracted interest from outside the market area, but still the vast, vast majority of tickets are sold in Northwestern Ontario."
As the 50/50 heads into year two, the draw will likely be tweaked from time to time to help keep interest high.
However, Ontario government regulations prevent what some residents have asked organizers to consider doing.
The foundation solicited feedback during a survey of ticket purchasers in November.
Craig said "A lot of people have suggested that when it gets to a certain level, we should divide the prize package. That's simply 'verboten'...We are very restricted in what we can and cannot do. The main jackpot has to be 50 per cent of the money that's brought in."
There is flexibility with early bird draws.
"We'll probably do something in February for Valentine's Day, and in March for St. Patrick's Day....trying to do more thematic gifts around some of the holidays. Just trying to make it more interesting that way," Craig said.
He said the special $100 Holiday Ticket that was part of the December draw proved to be a big attraction.
"It was extremely popular. We had never gone to that high a price point, and weren't sure how people would react, but they really liked that. We'll probably use that again but sparingly."
In November, the foundation announced $4.1 million in investments at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.
The hospital's capital planning process for 2022 starts this month.
Craig said "It's usually between $8 and $12 million that the hospital spends every year on everything from wheelchairs to MRIs. And I know there are some other really big investments that need to be made."
He pointed out that even though many residents still consider the hospital to be new, "it's coming up to 20 years old. A lot of that infrastructure, technology needs to be replaced" now.
