A retired oilfield worker was the big winner of the 2019 Red Deer Hospital Lottery.
Red Deer’s Gary Green, 66, won the $880,724 grand prize dream home, located at 68 Larratt Cl., Friday afternoon.
“I didn’t know what to say. I thought the draw was actually tomorrow. It was a big surprise, that’s for sure,” said Green, who lives in an apartment with his wife, Viola.
The 3,110 square-foot bungalow features three bedrooms, two-and-a-half bathrooms and a master chef kitchen with an adjoining butler pantry.
Green, who has two daughters in their 40s, visited the dream home when he bought his ticket.
“It’s a beautiful home … a really wonderful place,” he said, adding he’s lived in Red Deer for about 20 years.
Gary Franklin Green of #RedDeer is the winner of the 2019 Hospital Lottery Dream Home. pic.twitter.com/UUe1p3Uf34
— Sean McIntosh (@SeanRDA) July 5, 2019
Doris Cordel, of Halkirk, which is located east of Stettler, was the winner of the $250,000 Mega Bucks 50 draw.
“You’re kidding? I find that really hard to believe,” Cordel said when she was told she won the money.
“That’s really amazing.”
Cordel is employed by the Village of Halkirk and was working when she received the call telling her she won the prize.
Money raised through the lottery will go toward the purchase of Pyxis Medstations, automated medication dispensing units with numerous electronic features to ensure safety, accuracy and efficiency.
Pyxis Medstations will be used in all areas of Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre.
Manon Therriault, chief executive officer of the Red Deer Regional Health Foundation, said this year’s lottery was very successful.
“Given the state of the economy this year, we’re just astonished by the response of our community. We were able to sell out our Mega Bucks (draw) and to give that to a lucky winner today,” said Therriault.
“We do all types of fundraising at the hospital, and this is a really fun and creative way to raise funds and to allow everyone in the community to be a part of that. Our tickets were only $20 this year, which is a change for us.”
Therriault said she was happy to share the excitement of the winners.
“We’re able to make a difference in our hospital, but also make a difference to the people winning these prizes. A $20 ticket landing you this big, beautiful home, I can’t imagine how that would feel. It’s great to be able to give someone that feeling,” she said.
There were 100 prizes, totalling more than $1.1 million, that people won during Friday’s draw.
sean.mcintosh@reddeeradvocate.com
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