It was an exciting April Fool鈥檚 for Chawathil鈥檚 Thelma Florence, with a surprise that was definitely no prank.

After much buzzing and speculation in Hope about who won the grand prize, Florence is the winner of the BCLC鈥檚 Lotto 6/49鈥檚 Guaranteed Prize of $1 million draw that took place on April 1.

鈥淚 thought, 鈥業s this real? Me? Really?鈥欌�欌�� Florence said in a press release. 鈥淚 sent a screenshot of the app into the family group chat and everyone wondered if it was a late April Fools鈥� Day joke.鈥�

Florence, who lives in Hope, said she bought her ticket at Bee鈥檚 Food Market, a local convenience store in Hope located next to the Standard. On the night when it was announced that someone in Hope had won, Florence said she was scared of checking the ticket and getting her hopes up for nothing. Despite this, the next morning while in Merritt visiting her nephew, Florence found herself in shock when she realized she had the winning ticket; using the BCLC Lotto! App she learned that was indeed the winner.

鈥淲hen I heard that Hope had a winner, I thought about my ticket. And, I didn鈥檛 want to check it because I was scared if I didn鈥檛 win that I was gonna cry,鈥� Florence laughed. 鈥淚 tried to check it early but they said it was, 鈥榯oo soon. You got to check it in the morning,鈥� and they said that all they knew was that the winner was in Hope. So, I checked it online on my phone. I had my ticket there and I scanned it. And it showed I was the winner.

鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 believe it. I told my daughter, 鈥業t鈥檚 me! I鈥檓 the winner!鈥欌��

Florence said she wanted to verify that her win was real. When she got back to Hope, she went to Bee鈥檚 again to have the ticket checked. After it was confirmed by the cashier that she had indeed won, Florence said she was happy and excited for herself and her family. And she鈥檚 happy that she was able to get the winning ticket from her hometown of Hope.

鈥淚 love Hope. It鈥檚 my hometown. Even if I went to a residential school, my band is in Hope,鈥� Florence said. 鈥淪o that鈥檚 always been my home and I have a lot of good memories with my family here. And I think I would say Hope鈥檚 a good place. Like a lot of people will say, 鈥極h, it鈥檚 a good place.鈥� And I agree.鈥�

Florence, who is a survivor of St. Mary鈥檚 Mission and Residential School, is the mother of two daughters (which includes Chawathil Coun. Monica Florence), the grandmother of five grandchildren, and the great-grandmother of three. Originally an employee of her band, she has been retired for 23 years and spends her days with her family, doing work on her home, watching movies, sewing, and playing bingo. She also helps her daughter out as a part-time homemaker.

As a survivor, who was at St. Mary鈥檚 for 11 years, Florence said it鈥檚 important for her to let people know what happened.

鈥淚 do tours there [St. Mary鈥檚]. And I go to schools and talk about my experience there. There may be survivors who don鈥檛 want to share and don鈥檛 want to talk. But I do,鈥� Florence said. 鈥淚 still pray. And I鈥檒l go to church, but I pray. And I鈥檓 learning more of my culture and that鈥檚 helping. The singing and drumming is really important to me.鈥�

Part of her plan for the money, aside from putting half in savings, is using it to buy herself and her grandchildren cars, as well as doing repairs and renovations to her home. Another part involves planning a few trips for herself and her family.

鈥淚 think we might go to Hawaii. I鈥檇 love to go to Hawaii. At this time it鈥檚 not so hot, it would be just nice,鈥� Florence said. 鈥淭he other place, and I went there a few years ago, was Las Vegas. I wouldn鈥檛 mind going there again.

鈥淥ther than that, I鈥檓 not sure. We鈥檒l see if we travel anywhere else.鈥�

In addition to traveling, and spending the money on herself and her family, Florence said she is also looking forward to the Peters鈥� Family Memorial Ball tournament, which her family puts on every year.

鈥淚鈥檓 really happy that it鈥檚 30 years,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his is our 30th year this summer. And every summer we have so many teams coming in. So, this will really help us.鈥�

As Florence bought the winning ticket at Bee鈥檚, BCLC will be arranging for free 6/49 tickets to be given out at the store on April 26 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. The event is free to the public and everyone is encouraged to attend.

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kemone.moodley@hopestandard.com
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