Photo: From left, LRHF’s Penny Manners and Deb Lundquist sold Lucky Lloyd Lotto tickets at Showcase 2010 over the weekend. - Katie Ryan Photo
By Katie Ryan
The Lloydminster Region Health Foundation wants you to think local and think large. Tickets are now on sale for the foundation’s annual Lucky Lloyd Lotto and up for grabs is a hefty chunk of cold hard cash.
“I think a quarter million of tax-free dollars is really appealing to everybody,” said LRHF executive director, Georgina Altman, of the lotto’s grand prize. “I think that will be an exciting win and what you do with it is as big as your dreams are.”
There are 237 additional cash prizes, including an early bird prize of $25,000 tax-free cash. Last year the foundation sold over 98 per cent of the available tickets and the lotto is expected to generate a lot of interest once more.
“We are really anticipating that this year will be as busy if not more so than it was last year,” said Altman. “As always, our community is so supportive and with this one (lottery) the whole region really buys into it and that is really exciting for all of us.”
Last year funds from the Lucky Lloyd Lottery supported the mammography program and this year LRHF has a new project about to benefit from the popular fundraising initiative – specialized equipment for Lloydminster Hospital’s Stroke Management Strategy.
With the purchase of the high-tech equipment, heart attack or stroke patients will no longer have to travel out of the city to have specialized tests, including chronic scans and heart echoes.
“There is no reason why it shouldn’t happen right here. We already have the staff in place to be able to do those, who have the training to do them, so to provide the equipment that is necessary is really an easy decision for us,” said Altman.
Already LHRF has received several donations for the equipment and with a successful lottery, Altman said the foundation will be able to purchase the equipment.
“Anything we purchase in health care isn’t a small purchase, but we know that this will make a really big impact immediately,” she said, admitting she continuously moved by the community’s generosity.
“It makes a really big difference and the needs are just so high in health care and they keep growing all the time. If we are going to make a difference, it just takes our community getting on our side again and again and they keep doing it.”
Tickets are now on sale, ranging from $50/ticket, three for $100 and 15 for $250. To purchase any one of the 5,520 ticket packages, call 1-888-722-5743, 306-820-6295 or check out www.lrhf.ca.