Letter to the editor
Oct. 14, 2011
The WinFall Lottery has raised $25 million for Peace Arch Hospital over its 15 year history. Consistently, the WinFall Lottery has made a profit. The funds have been used to purchase vital medical equipment. Many people have been – and are – benefiting from this lottery.
This year, however, for the first time its history, the lottery is at risk of not breaking even. With approximately one third of the tickets sold (as of Oct. 13) and with ticket sales closing this Wednesday (Oct. 19), we are working hard to try to bring the lottery a successful close.
I am appealing to British Columbians who have the means to purchase WinFall Lottery tickets. If you purchase tickets and are the lucky grand-prize winner, you will win a beautiful home in south Surrey, a luxury car and $50,000, OR $1.7 million tax-free cash. In all, there are more than 1,700 prizes to be won. Your chances of winning are better than ever.
When you purchase tickets, you are also investing in something - I believe – British Columbian’s value: excellence in community health care. Whether you live in White Rock, Kelowna, Nanaimo, Prince George, Nelson or Vancouver, as British Columbians we all have a vested interest in keeping our communities healthy, strong and vibrant. Health is our greatest wealth.
WinFall Lottery re-entered the lottery market this year after a one-year break. We re-entered with research indicating a strong consumer interest in a lottery such as the WinFall Lottery. What happened? It could be a number of things: more consumer choice, bigger and better prize packages may be contributing factors.
Some people have asked me why the Foundation takes the kind of financial risk inherent in a major home lottery. For 15 years, the WinFall Lottery has provided a reliable source of revenue for the Foundation. The good that flows from it to the community in the form of life-saving, life-enhancing medical equipment has clearly been our motivating factor.
I am asking for your help. If you have the means, will you buy a WinFall Lottery ticket? If you don’t have the means, you can help us by spreading the word to your family and friends on facebook and twitter.
I am an optimist at heart and believe that together we can bring this lottery to a successful close.
Tickets are available online at www.WinFallLottery.ca, or by calling 604·436·5690, 1·855·205·5690 toll free.
Thank you and good luck.
Jane Manning
Board Chair
Peace Arch Hospital and
Community Health Foundation