John and Sherry Gulley in the kitchen of their new home.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED
February 12, 2024 - 11:30 AM
A couple from Kelowna has won the Lake Life Lottery $1.37 million grand prize package which includes a fully-furnished home in the city's Quail's Landing area.
On Jan. 11, John and Sherry Gulley received a phone call informing them of their winnings, according to a Feb. 12 Lake Life Lottery news release.
At first, they could not believe it.
“I was in absolute disbelief,” John said in the release. “Tammie from the YMCA had to spend a good five minutes convincing me because I was so incredulous – I just couldn’t believe it!”
The Gulleys, who happened to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary this past year, have lived in Kelowna for the last ten years after having jumped around many cities around the province.
“We began our journey 50 years ago with almost nothing," Sherry said in the release. "Through years of hard work and countless relocations for the sake of our family's opportunities, this unexpected blessing is a beautiful addition to our shared adventure."
The profits made by Lake Life Lottery support physical, social and mental health initiatives through the KGH Foundation and the YMCA Southern Interior BC. So, it is only fitting that the Gulleys have close ties to community health. John's father was a physician and his mother, a nurse. Sherry has several family members who work at Kelowna General Hospital, and so it has made them more than happy to support the Lake Life Lottery.
“We’ve supported other home lotteries, but this one is special because it is local, and the two causes are so important for our community,” John said.
Members of the Lake Life Lottery organization wish to share their gratitude for people like the Gulleys who support the fundraising initiative, allowing for better healthcare in the community.
“A heartfelt congratulations to John and Sherry, Hayley, and all of the other prize winners – we are immensely grateful for your support,” Tammie Watson, vice president of philanthropy and marketing of the YMCA of Southern Interior BC, said in the release. “Your help means the world to us and will enable the YMCA and KGH Foundation to support the mental, physical and social wellness of our community.”
“We would also like to thank residents from all over BC who purchased tickets to the Lake Life Lottery,” Chandel Schmidt, vice-president of philanthropy, KGH Foundation, said in the release. “Your contributions will help your friends, family, and neighbours get the care, services and programs they need, close to home, through the KGH Foundation and the YMCA."
The Gulleys took home the grand prize, but Kamloops resident, Hayley Green, took home $235,000 from the Lake Life Lottery 50/50 prize.
“Even after looking at the email and matching the tickets, it was still hard to believe,” she said in the release. “In terms of impacting our lives, it makes dreams of travelling a reality – it just feels like more things are possible now.”
Ticket holders could still have winning tickets as the February Splash of Cash begins, offering $91,000 in cash prizes, including a $29,000 Leap Year draw. Winners will be notified directly and then listed on the Lake Life Lottery website here.
Over $1.75 million in prizes were up for grabs as part of Lake Life Lottery's second year, including the grand prize dream home won by the Gulleys, the 50/50 prize won by Green, a luxury speedboat, a 2024 Hyundai Kona, and trips to France, Greece, and Mexico.
The KGH Foundation and YMCA of Southern Interior BC express their recognition to key partners and those who provided prizes or prize discounts including Nyrose & Associates, Dockside Tow & Stow, Kot Auto Group, Manteo Resort, Spirit Ridge, the Kelowna Rockets, Quail’s Gate and the Quail Landing Development.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Gabrielle Adams or call (438) 830-1211 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.
We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. SUBSCRIBE to our awesome newsletter here.
News from © iNFOnews, 2024