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By Shaun Penner
Cars for Christmas

Successful Cars for Christmas campaign celebrated with record donation payout

Mar 3, 2021 | 3:07 PM

The Swan City Rotary Club celebrated a successful 2020 Cars for Christmas lottery campaign on Wednesday, by presenting cheques to its partner non-profit agencies in the amount of $212,000 – the biggest payout the club has ever made through the annual lottery.

The donations from the lottery were presented virtually on Wednesday afternoon during the club’s regular meeting.

President Nadine LaCroix says they are elated to have been so successful with this year’s campaign, despite the many roadblocks COVID-19 posed.

“(Our) 21st lottery, and that’s the highest payout ever,” said LaCroix.

Cheques were virtually presented to the following organizations on Wednesday:

  • Grande Prairie & District Catholic Schools Education Foundation – $12,650
  • Seniors Outreach Program/Meals on Wheels – $12,650
  • Big Brothers Big Sisters of Grande Prairie and Area – $12,650
  • Camp Tamarack – $12,650
  • Peace Area Riding for the Disabled Society Therapeutic Centre – $12,650
  • Grande Prairie Public School District Education Foundation – $12,650
  • Regional EMS Foundation – $12,650
  • Impact – $12,650
  • Resource Centre for Suicide Prevention – $12,650
  • Centre for Creative Arts – $12,650
  • Gymniks – $82,514.14
  • Rotaract Grande Prairie – $4,000

The money is in addition to the $56,199 which was donated to nine local food banks, thanks to $1 from each ticket sold in October going towards those organizations.

In total, the lottery was able to sell 85 per cent of its tickets during the 2020 campaign, 69 per cent of which were sold online.

In total, LaCroix says the club was able to bring in $600,000 through this year’s lottery.

“And that goes between our partner groups that we gave the money immediately to today, and then for really over the next months and years of our club, being able to provide funding wherever it’s needed.”

LaCroix gave full kudos to the team at the Swan City Rotary Club for their dedication to make sure the campaign was able to go forward, despite COVID-19 and its associated public health restrictions placing many unknowns around how they could operate the lottery this year.

“Everything was so different this year, it was like pivot, pivot, pivot!” joked LaCroix. “It was just continually keeping us on our toes, trying new things. And you know what? It worked.

“It worked because we had a really dedicated team of people”

She adds she and the rest of the club are thankful for the community’s support, which ended up helping some of the community groups most in need.

“Especially this year, when a lot of our partner groups, and a lot of community groups, had more trouble raising money, it meant more than ever before.”

by Shaun Penner