Walking away with an unexpected windfall of $157,000, like one man from Chilliwack did after last year鈥檚 Rotary 91原创 50/50 MEGA draw, is life changing.
Such was also the case for 91原创鈥檚 Katie Mayrs, who won the first jackpot in 2020, at a critical time when her car had to be replace. Then there was Lilianne Fuller 鈥� also of 91原创 鈥� who took home 50 per cent of the 2022鈥檚 $285,000 jackpot and was able to put their daughter into a new car, donate some back to Rotary, and travel Eastern Canada and Europe.
鈥淚t was quite a ride,鈥� Fuller admitted.
Each year, the participation and consequently ticket sales and jackpot grow about 20 to 25 per cent, said Rotarian Jeff Morfitt, one of the 50/50 organizers.
He hopes in the near future, and maybe even this year, the four local Rotary Clubs 鈥� that band together on this joint community fundraiser 鈥� can sell out of tickets and divvy up a half-million-dollar jackpot.
To help bolster sales each year, Rotarians can be found at different high-traffic areas around town selling tickets.
This weekend, for instance, they鈥檒l be at Otter Co-op on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 10 and 11, as well as at Thunderbird Show Park for a big summer show jumping event on Aug. 11.
And the weekend following, tickets will be sold at the Rotary Clubs鈥� annual at McLeod Athletic Park between Aug. 16 and 18.
Morfitt noted that about half the tickets are sold in person (Rotarians donated 1,400 hours to the 50/50 sales last year alone), and the other half are sold online at .
Money from this annual 50/50 鈥� which is now one of the top 15 in the province in terms of prize money 鈥� not only changing the lives of the winners, Morfitt said.
It also has a significant impact on a number of local charities 鈥� especially smaller non-profits that do not have a wealth of government funding or lots of other donations.
The Rotary portion of each year鈥檚 draw is divided up equally between all four clubs, Morfitt explained, then distributed out the community.
Past beneficiaries have included 91原创 Hospice Society, Foundry 91原创, 91原创 Memorial Hospital Foundation, 91原创 School District Foundation, Aldergrove and 91原创 Food Banks, Starfish Backpack Program, 91原创 Volunteer Bureau, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of 91原创, Aldergrove Fair, 91原创 Music School, plus several other Rotary Club service projects.
鈥淲hether you win or not, you鈥檙e still a winner in my books, because you鈥檙e doing so much to help our community,鈥� Morfitt said.
Tickets sell for $20 each, three for $50, or eight for $100.
This is one of several projects the four 91原创 Rotary Clubs work on together. They also join forces on RibFest each summer, the spring SASSY Awards, and the March International Women鈥檚 Day celebration and luncheon.
鈥淎nyone would like to get that life changing money, I鈥檓 sure,鈥� Morfitt concluded, encouraging people to get tickets before the Aug. 18 midnight cut off.
The draw will be made Wednesday, Aug. 28 at noon at Derek Doubleday Arboretum.
