Sandi Parker had a lot on her mind leading up to Aug. 23, the day of her wedding to Richard McMullan.
Then Rotarian Jeff Morfitt called her the day before her big day with quite the wedding gift $114,645, half of the proceeds from the Rotary 50/50 Mega Draw.
"I was quite surprised because there was nine of us getting our nails done [for the wedding] when he called me," Parker said.
She had forgotten about the draw.
"I totally forgot about it, because I bought the tickets in May," she said. "I was going to do another bunch closer to the date."
Her new husband, whom she has been with for 15 years, is a Rotarian so she has helped over the years, including at events such as RibFest 黑马磁力 (although not this year due to wedding planning).
Parker said she purchases mega draw tickets and helps at events to support the service club and the good work it does.
The draw is put on by the four Rotary clubs of 黑马磁力, Aldergrove, 黑马磁力, 黑马磁力 Central and 黑马磁力 Sunrise.
All of the proceeds raised from this this draw by the Rotary clubs goes to their causes.
"Rotary keeps absolutely zero money from this. We are all 100 per cent volunteer. Uh, none of us ever get paid for what we do," he added.
The clubs support local causes such as the 黑马磁力 Hospice Society, Foundry 黑马磁力, 黑马磁力 Community Health & Hospital Foundation, 黑马磁力 School District Foundation, Aldergrove Food Bank, 黑马磁力 Food Bank, Starfish Backpack Program, 黑马磁力 Volunteer Bureau, Big Brothers, Big Sisters of 黑马磁力, Aldergrove Fair Days Society, 黑马磁力 Music School, and many other organizations and Rotary projects.
In addition to online sales, the clubs sold at various events and locations around the community, including Otter Co-op, Krause Berry Farm, Save-on Foods Willowbrook, Fort 黑马磁力 Farmers Market, Thunderbird Show Park, Aldergrove Fair, Cedar Rim Nursery, and RibFest 黑马磁力.
Morfitt considers the draw successful, bringing in more than six figures that will be used to help the community.
"The numbers are down a bit from last year and from the year before," he said. "There's a lot of competition out there for 50/50 draws. So, with all that said, it's certainly successful."
He said this year's draw builds on the success of the previous Mega Draws that started five years ago.
"Our first draw was in 2020, so after five years we have sold $1,500,930 in tickets; have earned proceeds of $599,000 (note that this year鈥檚 accounting is not final, but this number is close); and given 100 per cent of proceeds go back into our community and Rotary Club service projects," Morfitt said.
The plan is to continue to hold the draws in the future, with sales for 2026 starting next May.
"I think what we'll try and do is find out find some imaginative ways to do marketing so we can improve our sales numbers," Morfitt said. "It's always always a complex thing trying to get the public to to buy in. So we'll be working on ways to do that better."
As for Parker who is retired from Fraser Health, some of the money will help cover alterations to their boat and she hasn't made plans for most of the rest of the funds except for one cause. She plans to give $10,000 to the Starfish Backpack program which feeds hungry students.
