LETHBRIDGE – The 2016 STARs lottery is underway, with over $5.6 million in prizes ready to be won. The lottery is the largest source of funding for the non-profit, life-saving service.
At the lottery’s launch in Lethbridge, the public was invited to the open house of a grand prize luxury home in Legacy Ridge. The very first STARs patient, Kelly Waldron of Lethbridge, was also on hand to share her story.
Thirty years ago, Waldron’s mother went into labour and gave birth to her and her twin brother two months premature.
“Since I was the most critical one – because I was born with no detectable heartbeat and I was black and blue from head to toe – the newly established STARs was told to come down and pick me up,” Waldron said. “They took me to the Foothills Hospital in Calgary where I spent many weeks.”
“Without them, there’s no way I would probably be here.”
That helicopter flight marked the very first time STARs was called into action. Since that winter day in 1985, the air ambulance has flown more than 30,000 missions. Last year, 65 of those missions were to Lethbridge.
For over 20 years, the STARs organization has used the annual lottery as an all-important source of funding.
“It’s our single largest fundraising initiative that we have within our foundation,” said Mike Lamacchia, vice president of operations for STARs Alberta/Saskatchewan. “So it brings in about $11 million of net money every year.”
The new home in Legacy Ridge is one of five grand prizes ticket holders could win. There are three other dream homes to be won in Calgary, Edmonton and Sylvan Lake. The fifth grand prize is a 2016 GMC Sierra and 5th wheel trailer combo valued at $141,593.
Aside from the five grand prizes, there 3,200 more prizes worth over $5.6 million, ready to be won including nine vehicles, 30 vacations, two helicopter rides, 408 cash prizes and more.
“There’s always the hope of winning a prize, but I truly believe that Albertans support STARs because of the cause, for the patients that we serve,” Lamacchia said.
Patients like Kelly who, 30 years later, want to see STARs continue to save lives.
“I’ll be forever grateful. I think they’re the best organization that is here.”
For more information on the STARs lottery and to purchase tickets, visit starslotteryalberta.ca
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