A Niagara resident has won the Port Cares online 50/50 draw.
The third draw collected $85,320 in just four weeks, with over $28,000 coming in on the final day.
Tami Reimer of Welland picked up her cheque for $42,660 today and says she still can’t believe it.
“I’d like to think it’s good karma coming back to me,” says Reimer. “Hearing a radio ad reminded me to get my tickets last week, and I actually purchased for another local draw and made a donation to another. So, three donations in one night, but I never thought I’d be getting this much back a week later!”
This draw for Port Cares had a guarantee of winning $10,000; double from the previous draw. With tickets sales high from the beginning, that was quickly surpassed within a week.
“We’re blown away at the amount of support for this draw,” says executive director, Christine Clark Lafleur. “Third time was definitely a charm for us. We had a blast seeing so many people come to our office to purchase tickets after going to the farmers market.”
Funds raised from the draw go directly towards the food bank and meal program that operate out of their Reach Out Centre.
The draw transpired out of a need to recoup $150,000 in lost funding that was usually raised through fundraising events, which were cancelled due to the pandemic.
The first 50/50 draw winner in September 2020 was Michael Mamo of Port Colborne, netting $19,830 and donated $5,000 back.
Another draw is anticipated to launch on August 1 and run to September 3, to “end your summer smiling,” and they’ll bring back the holiday-edition one with 12 days of early bird prizes in December.