Dufferin man wins $24,000 from charitable raffle

November 4, 2021 · 0 Comments

Written By Sam Odrowski

It was just like any other Thursday for Dufferin resident Derek Spencer, that is until he received a phone call that completely shocked him. He was notified on Oct. 14 that he had just won $24,000 in the provincial BiggerTogether 50/50 raffle, ran by Big Brothers Big Sisters Ontario.

“I didn’t believe it,” said Spencer. “It was the furthest thing from my mind that I could win.”

He told the Free Press he was initially in shock but once he fully grasped what had taken place, he was overjoyed.

“Now that’s a day you won’t forget,” Spencer said, when speaking about learning that he had won.

When asked how they money will be spent, he said it will be directed towards some projects around the house and a vacation once he and his wife Marg feel safe to travel again.

Spencer said his main message with respect to winning the raffle is gratitude.

“We’re just so thankful,” he enthused.

Spencer is a supporter of Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) programs, having coached hockey in the region and understanding the power of positive mentorship, which led him to purchase a 50/50 raffle ticket.

The raffle is an important fundraiser for supporting the BBBS programs locally and across Ontario.

“The money will be used to match more children with a caring mentor, who need it now more than ever because of the pandemic and the social isolation they’ve been feeling,” said Nancy Stallmach, executive director of BBBS Dufferin.

She also noted that it’s very exciting to have a winner of the provincial lottery from right here, in Dufferin County.

“We’re delighted that a winner came from right here in our local area. We want to thank everyone who bought tickets to support Big Brothers Big Sisters,” said Stallmach, “It’s nice to be able to put a smile on someone’s face, especially during these times of uncertainty and it helps our agencies so much.”

BBBS agencies throughout Ontario have been hit hard by the pandemic, with an increase in demand for its services and less opportunities to fundraise due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mental health challenges among youth have grown as much as 300 per cent since the pandemic started, according to a recent BBBS press release.

“Mentoring provides an outlet for these young people ‘Littles’ to spend some time with an adult ‘Big’ who can be a much-needed lifeline of support. They champion staying in school, making healthy choices and building solid relationships with friends and family and, perhaps, most of all, give them an outlet to laugh and have fun,” said the press release.

“A collaborative of agencies has banded together and developed a 50/50 raffle lottery to engage communities and create new revenue streams. Proceeds from the raffles go to supporting the agencies as they cope with the growing number of youth in Ontario faced with adverse situations at home and uncertainty.”

Tickets for the monthly provincial raffle are $10 for 10, $20 for 40 and $40 for 60.

“It’s a pretty easy and inexpensive way to position yourself to win a lot of money,” said Stallmach.

The draws take place on the 15th of each month with Early Bird prizes thrown in the middle for extra excitement and incentive to ticket purchasers. The BiggerTogether 50/50 can be found at www.biggertogether5050.com