Trevor Barclay and his family got to check out their new $1.3 million dream home Wednesday night, as Trevor's ticket was drawn as the winner of the 28th annual Rotary Dream Home Lottery (Photo by William Vavrek Photography / Supplied by Rotary Dream Home Lottery)

By Shaun Penner

28th Rotary Dream Home Lottery

Organizers celebrating successful 2021 Rotary Dream Home Lottery

Apr 30, 2021 | 1:29 PM

Organizers of the 2021 Rotary Dream Home Lottery are calling this year’s lottery a terrific success, despite the hurdles created by COVID-19.

Raffle Manager Melissa Coulombe says thanks to a late push from the community in the final week of ticket sales, the club was able to sell 97 per cent of available tickets for the dream home.

“This year’s lottery surprised everyone. It was a tough year, we never opened the house at all to the public, and yet we finished 97 per cent sold out,” said Coulombe. “We were hoping for 90, so the final week was super strong.”

Alongside the dream home draw the club also ran a 50/50, which did completely sell out, setting a record pot of $700,000.

“Completely incredible,” said Coulombe. “Our record previously was $573,200, so we completely blew it out of the water.”

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Local Jackie Schmul was drawn as the winner of the 50/50, taking home a $350,000 prize. Another local, Trevor Barclay, had his number drawn as the lucky winner of the $1.3 million dream home in Taylor Estates.

“We were fortunate that both the 50/50 winner and the grand prize home winner were local and able to come down and join us at the home,” said Coulombe. “Jackie let us know she plans to pay her mortgage off, and grand prize winner Trevor was perhaps in shock and needed time to let it soak in.”

Coulombe adds that for the many others whose tickets were not drawn as winners can still take solace in the fact that the funds raised through the lottery support various community non-profit organizations, schools, and clubs in the Peace Region.

“We hear that over and over from so many people n the community. When they are purchasing tickets, they always say ‘whether I win or not, it’s going to a good cause and it’s going to some great initiatives and groups.’”

The groups who have received funding in the past include the Big Brothers Big Sisters Association of Grande Prairie, Grande Prairie Friendship Centre Aboriginal Head Start Program, Grande Prairie and Area Safe Communities and the Peace Area Riding for the Disabled Society Therapeutic Centre, among many others.