Both of the top prize winners in the Bluewater Health Foundation Dream Home Lottery are from Sarnia and both weren’t answering the phone the first time foundation executive director Kathy Alexander tried to call them with the good news Thursday following the draw.
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Linda Weeres won the fully-furnished new home on Blue Coast Heights in Plympton-Wyoming, valued at $1.2 million, and Gwen Rogers won nearly $324,000 in the lottery’s 50-50 draw.
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Now that the lottery, in its 29th year, sells tickets online across Ontario, it’s unusual when all the top prizes are won locally, Alexander said.
The lottery is one of those times when just about everyone is a winner since the approximately $500,000 raised this year will help hospital foundations in Sarnia and Petrolia with capital projects.
“It’s success means we can fund critical infrastructure and upgrades needed to ensure the best standard of care for Bluewater Health’s patients and families,” said Paula Reaume-Zimmer, CEO of Bluewater Health. “It’s truly a win-win for everyone and we are grateful for the immense support from our community.”
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This year’s Dream Home lottery “went incredibly well” and was “our most successful, to date,” selling more than 140,000 tickets, Alexander said.
She said they would keep trying to reach the grand prize winner who has the choice of the home or $900,000 in cash.
“We’ll get in touch with all of the winners today,” she said.
The winners also are listed online at bwhfdreamhome.com.
Priority capital projects this year’s lottery will help fund include redevelopment of the hospital’s oncology cancer care clinic, as well as equipment for the Petrolia hospital site, she said.
“We’ve been doing this for 29 years and this is our most successful fundraiser,” Alexander said.
It has raised about $10 million during the 29 years and has been well supported by the public, she said.
“People really like to dream,” Alexander said. “They like to support lotteries that have great prizes and we’ve had that for years and years.”
A few years ago, the foundation moved to an online lottery so tickets can be bought from across Ontario, “but it is heavily supported by folks from Lambton County and we’re so grateful,” she said.
Alexander said they have special plans for next year’s 30th anniversary lottery.
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