Jaclyn Brault showed up as a traveling 26-year-old who lived with her parents when she arrived at her sister’s New Year’s Eve party but she left as a 27-year-old homeowner.
The Red Deerian legal assistant won the 2010 Kinsmen Dream Home draw on Dec. 31, the perfect present for her birthday on Jan. 1.
“It’s definitely the best (birthday),” said Brault, who returned home from Australia in November. “I’m incredibly lucky.”
She was still feeling overwhelmed while touring the 1,836-square-foot, two storey walkout located at 150 Sutherland Close with her family on Sunday.
Knowing that she’ll be given the keys to the home sometime in March has changed Brault’s plans to continue traveling. She is now seriously thinking about moving in with her Australian boyfriend and setting some roots, at least temporarily.
“She’s got a lot of thinking to do, good thinking,” said Brault’s mother Shirley.
“It’s life altering but in a good way.”
The home includes four bedrooms, three bathrooms, an audio and visually equipped media room and a John Deere theme garage. The avid cook, however, is most excited about the kitchen that has plenty of cupboard space, an island and a “country” feeling.
She is also looking forward to spending time in the large jet tub that sits beside a fireplace in en suite bathroom.
Brault bought only one ticket right before the Nov. 30 early bird draw for a trip to Hawaii but never expected to win the grand prize, which is worth more than $700,000.
“I would’ve taken the smallest (prize),” she said.
“I was just excited to buy the ticket and that it all goes to Red Deer organizations.”
The Central Alberta Women’s Shelter, the Penhold Multiplex, the Red Deer Royals, Red Deer Pond Hockey and Red Deer Minor Hockey, Red Deer Food Bank, Red Deer Regional Hospital Foundation, Red Deer College, Family Services of Central Alberta, Red Deer Youth and Volunteer Centre, and the Central Alberta chapter of the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation will all benefit from the proceeds raised.
J.C. Levenne, Kinsmen Dream Home chair, said about 10,000 tickets were sold this year.
Despite only raising around $150,000 — half of what they had hoped to — Levenne still called the campaign a success.
“With the amount of fundraising that’s going on around here lately, it’s great to see that we’re still running a successful dream home,” he said. “There’s a lot of things that people can donate their money to or try to support and we’re just glad that we’re still getting a fair shake on that kind of stuff.”
Terrance Holowatt of Red Deer won the early bird draw for a $5,000 trip to Oahu, Hawaii. Other prizes included a ride-on lawn mower, a boat and trailer package, a riser TV, a trip to Disneyland, a Caribbean cruise, two massage chairs, an island barbecue, a two-man infrared sauna and two jewelry packages valued at $3,000 each.
ptrotter@www.reddeeradvocate.com