London Health Sciences Foundation President John MacFarlane, St. Joseph’s Health Care Foundation President Michelle Campbell, and Children’s Health Foundation President Scott Fortnum show off the winning cheques in the 2018 spring edition of the Dream Lottery, July 19, 2018. (Photo by Miranda Chant, Blackburn News)London Health Sciences Foundation President John MacFarlane, St. Joseph’s Health Care Foundation President Michelle Campbell, and Children’s Health Foundation President Scott Fortnum show off the winning cheques in the 2018 spring edition of the Dream Lottery, July 19, 2018. (Photo by Miranda Chant, Blackburn News)
London

Dream Lottery Winners Announced

A couple from Markdale had the winning ticket for the grand prize in the Dream Lottery.

James and Joyce Hawken will have their choice of a 4,562 sq ft, four-bedroom home at 1456 Byron Baseline, a 4,702 sq ft, four-bedroom house at 1452 Byron Baseline, a 2,315 sq ft, three-bedroom Muskoka Cottage-like home in Bayfield, or $1-million in cash.

A crowd gathered inside one of the luxury homes on Byron Baseline Rd. for the announcement of the grand prize winner on Thursday morning. Seconds after reading the winning ticket number, lottery organizers had James on the phone.

When told he and his wife were the grand prize winners, he seemed at a loss for words at first.

“O.K… I’ll have to look up my ticket, but in other words, I’ll… I’m just… um… O.K…. can I take a few minutes to go crazy?” he asked.

James' wife was just as shocked by the news as he was.

"Are you sure?" Joyce said in disbelief.

By the end of the four-minute phone call, James said the news was starting to sink in.

Sharon Stewart of Hanover won the 50/50 draw and will take home $512,385. It's the first time in the semi-annual sweepstakes' history that the 50/50 prize pool has exceeded the $1-million mark.

Since launching in 1996, the lottery has raised a net total of over $33.6-million in support of the London Health Sciences Centre, Children’s Hospital, and St. Joseph’s Health Care London.

"This lottery provides really critical and significant funds for a lot of things government doesn't provide in our hospitals. That can be extra patient care and comfort items, from wheelchairs at Parkwood Hospital, bicycles built for two for elderly people we care for at Mount Hope Centre for Long Term Care, right up to research facilities," said Michelle Campbell, president and CEO of St. Joseph’s Health Care Foundation.

Campbell added that the continued success of the lottery can be attributed to the fact all money raised through it stays in the community, something she believes truly matters to those in the region.

"That is what continues to give this program lift year after year," said Campbell, who pointed out this is the second time a row tickets for the lottery have sold out.

The names of major prize winners are posted online at www.dreamitwinit.ca and a printed list of winners is also available upon request by calling 1-866-319-9818.

 

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