Canada-YAY! Summer Bounty 50/50 Draw Launches July 1
Someone will take home at least $5,000 cash and have a chance at a Summer Bounty prize basket from Port Cares’ seventh online 50/50 draw that runs from Canada Day to the Civic Holiday.
An early bird draw takes place on July 15th at 2pm where someone will win a prize valued at over $1,500 and is full of all things ‘summer’ such as: a family season’s pass to Splashtown Niagara, a family seasons pass to Safari Niagara, a foursome of golf at Niagara National Golf & Country Club, four tickets to four performances of the Lighthouse Theatre Festival at Roselawn (16 passes), a giant pool floatie, certificates for local restaurants and more… all packed into a dandy cooler on wheels.
The lucky Early Bird winner will also be eligible to win the cash draw.
Go to www.portcares5050.ca starting at 12:01am on July 1 to get tickets, priced at five for $10, 20 for $20 or 100 for $40.
The draw for the ‘Summer Bounty’ takes place at 2:00pm on August 1 and the winner is guaranteed to take home at least $5,000.
Weather-permitting, the agency will be outside to sell tickets in their parking lot on Market days in July. Those dates will be the 8th, 15th and 22nd and folks can use cash outside or debit / credit inside the main entrance.
New this year: Port Cares will have a booth on Clarence Street at the Canal Days festival where you can purchase tickets, from July 29-Aug 1.
“With the opportunity to sell at Canal Days, we anticipate this to be our highest jackpot ever,” says Christine Clark Lafleur, executive director at Port Cares. “We would love to see this one go well over fifty thousand, which will help sustain us into the fall and winter as we continue to see our numbers climb.”
The biggest draw winner so far took home almost $43,000. Almost $191,000 has been won in Port Cares’ draws which began in the summer of 2020. Four of the winners have been from Port Colborne and two from Welland-- even though anyone in Ontario 18+ can purchase tickets.
Since the on-set of the pandemic, Port Cares has had a 37 percent increase in people accessing their services. They’re helping more people than ever before, with less opportunities for fundraising and altered services.
“The draws are vital in supporting our foodbank, hot meal program, school lunch program and more,” explains Clark Lafleur. “These types of programs don’t receive any government funding which leaves it to use to fundraise each year, which has certainly pivoted over the past two years.”
Many thanks to the following for our early bird draw donations:
Splashtown Niagara
Safari Niagara
Niagara National Golf & Country Club
Grant’s Gifts & The Picket Fence
Don Cherry’s Port Colborne
Melina’s Family Restaurant
Lighthouse Theatre Festival
Winners Re-cap:
September 2020 – Michael Mamo of Port Colborne: $19,830
January 2021 – Marion Minor of Port Colborne: $27,465
June 2021 – Tami Reimer of Welland: $42,660
Sept 2021 – Bruce Wilson of Port Colborne: $34,155
January 2022 – Kathy Pitkin of Port Colborne: $37,505
May 2022 – Suzette Lemay of Welland: $27,795
Since 1986, Port Cares has offered a multitude of services for people, young and old, not only in Port Colborne, but also across Niagara including Lincoln, West Lincoln, Welland, Pelham and Fort Erie. They offer housing, employment training, a foodbank, Niagara Youth Justice services, EarlyON Child and Family Centres, a meal program, utility assistance, counselling and crisis services- as well as seasonal programs like Coats for Kids, Give a Gift and more. Their services are wide-ranging - the need is undeniable.
QUICK FACTS ABOUT PORT CARES REACH OUT CENTRE:
· Port Cares Reach Out Centre Food bank (ROFC) assists more than 2,300 individuals. A third of the people reliant on the ROFC Food Bank are children.
· On average, 20,000 pounds of food is distributed through the Port Cares Food Bank each month.
· Last school year the Port Cares Reach Out Food Centre located at 61 Nickel Street, Port Colborne, provided 12,625 lunches to local school-age elementary and secondary school children who live in low-income households.
· Hot, nutritious community meals are served three times a week to families and individuals in need with more than 80 adults and children typically attend each meal. Over 14,340 meals were distributed last year.
Port Cares’ mission is to help those in our community with social and economic needs improve their quality of life.
Port Cares’ vision is to provide help, hope and opportunity for all to achieve their potential.
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