The 2016 Hospitals’ Lottery succeeded in raising enough money to follow through on plans to improve cardiac care at Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre.
Ticket sales were down compared to previous years, but the 18th annual lottery still managed to sell 80 per cent of its 102,000 tickets, and 90 per cent of Hospitals’ Mega Bucks 50 tickets were sold.
Cynthia de Boer, lottery project officer with Red Deer Regional Health Foundation, said the sluggish economy definitely impacted ticket sales.
“People were purchasing either less tickets, or they were purchasing our single ticket. What’s really great about our buying public is that they still purchased. By doing so, it still put our lottery over the top,” de Boer said at the grand prize house on Friday where the lottery’s 428 prizes were drawn.
“Between the proceeds that we did make from the lottery, from donations that came into cardiac care during the lottery, and also from another cardiac project that came in under budget, we are actually able to fund the project 100 per cent.”
Lottery proceeds go towards phase two of the cardiac enhancement project at Red Deer hospital for the purchase and installation of new equipment.
The $700,000 phase includes 106 digital clocks in the Emergency, Inpatient Cardiology/Telemetry and Cardiac Intensive Care departments for time-sensitive therapies such as medication; four more hard-wired beds for appropriate monitoring for more cardiac patients; portable monitors for continuously monitoring patients during transportation to other locations for treatment or procedures; renovations to update information technology and fundamental infrastructure for future cardiac programs.
Winning tickets were drawn on Friday for the grand prize three-bedroom bungalow, located at 117 Lazaro Close, valued at $799,000. Other prizes included a Ford Mustang GT convertible, Dodge 1500 crew cab 4x4, a heli-fishing trip, furniture packages, and much more.
Bob Wynnyk, of Spruce Grove, won the grand prize home. Robert Schaefer, of Red Deer County, won $224,892.50 in
Hospitals’ Mega Bucks, the foundation’s 50-50 draw.
The two winners were alerted by phone early Friday afternoon after their names were drawn.
Schaefer made sure he was sitting down when he realized who was calling and couldn’t believe his good fortune.
“Thank you so much,” Schaefer said when he learned how much money he had won.
“(Hospitals’ Lottery) is a good cause and I like to always take part in that for our local area.”
Planning for the 19th annual lottery has already begun. The grand prize home will be built by Sorento Custom Homes at 105 Laratt Close.