Red Deer hospital lottery launched
Red Deer Regional Hospital’s outpatient department will reap the benefit from the 2013 Hospitals’ Lottery, launched Friday.
Money raised will enable upgrades to some decades-old equipment and cut wait times for a number of procedures by standardizing equipment across its four procedure rooms and eight exam rooms for non-elective plastic surgery, urological and gynecological procedures, and more.
Some 30,000 Central Albertans made use of the department last year.
“More and more procedures are being done on an outpatient basis,” said Barb Mehlhorn, clinical manager of the department, “It’s more cost-effective and more efficient.”
Tickets are now selling for the 15th annual lottery, with 565 prizes to be won — a brand new home in east Red Deer worth more than $600,000 the biggest of them all.
Public viewing of the grand prize home, located at 201 Van Slyke Way in the Vanier Woods East phase two development, is possible in the afternoons. The luxurious 2,600-square-foot home built by True-Line Homes features four bedrooms, a media room with a 92-inch screen, and a covered deck, among other things.
After its first sellout last year, lottery chair Graham Moore is predicting the same in 2013. With 40 per cent of tickets already snapped up through a “previous supporters draw,” the foundation is well on its way.
Last year the lottery raised $635,000 for the purchase of hospital equipment, the highest amount in the 14 years of its existence.
He said the high usage of the outpatient department led to it being chosen as the funds recipient this year.
“It was number one on our list of things that we had. It’s a place where a lot of people visit every year . . . so that’s why we chose it,” said Moore.
One of the people who has made use of the department is David Pisko. After slicing his finger and thumb on a turning saw last summer, the Delbourne-area farmer/contractor made it to the Red Deer hospital where surgery saved his fingers. Ongoing physiotherapy in the outpatient department has helped him regain the use of his hand and get back to work.
In total, there are 565 prizes available in the lottery, from the home and vehicles to electronics and luxury vacations. The total retail value of the prizes is nearly $1 million.
There are a number of ways to get one of the 92,000 tickets available in the lottery. By phone, tickets can be bought at 403-340-1878 or 1-877-808-9005. Tickets are also available online at www.hospitalslottery.com, at the home itself, or at the foundation office on the main floor of the Red Deer Regional Hospital.
Individual tickets are available for $25. Five can be had for $100, or $250 for 15 tickets.
An early bird draw, for tickets purchased by 11 p.m. on June 9, will take place on June 25, with the draw winner getting a choice between a new truck and holiday trailer, or cash.
July 8 is the big day for the final draw. For this, tickets must be purchased before 11 p.m. on June 23.
mfish@reddeeradvocate.com
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