Lottery tickets sales still on par for sell out

There are only four weeks left to participate in the inaugural Prince George Hospice Society Dream Home Lottery.

After three months of sales, more than 5,200 tickets have been purchased, leaving the lottery about 800 tickets shy of the breaking even mark of 6,000 tickets.

If the lottery sells out, it would provide the Hospice Society with about $250,000 to carry out their important work.

"A very important target to reach is the break even point," said Dream Home Lottery co-ordinator Ron Gallo, in a press release. "So many people have put in lots of hard work to this cause, and to be this close to covering the expenses related to the first Dream Home Lottery provides a sense of relief."

The $100 tickets give purchasers a shot at being the recipients of the 1,947-square foot College Heights dream home. Proceeds from the lottery support the Rotary Hospice Society, which opened B.C.'s first freestanding Hospice House in 1995.

An expansion four years later resulted in a 10-bed facility, which placed more pressure on funding needs. With Northern Health covering the finances for seven of those beds, the Hospice Society obtained a gaming licence for this event to fund the remainder.

While lottery organizers would love to already be sold out of its 8,500 tickets, Gallo told The Citizen, that goal is nonetheless well within reach.

"The community support has been phenomenal," he said "For the first time running the lottery, to have already reached this level of ticket sales is great."

The final early bird prize draw happens Oct. 14. For those who purchase tickets prior to Oct. 13 are eligible to win a hockey stick bench (valued at $560) or a trip for two to Puerto Vallarta (valued at $3,695). The grand prize draw for the dream home takes place Oct. 28.

Tickets, which can only be sold and purchased within B.C. by those 19 years of age and older, are available at various locations around town. These include: the Dream Home at 7583 Stillwater Cres., Canadian Tire, Uniglobe, Hart Pharmacy, Save On Foods Spruceland, the Northern, Husky Travel Centre, Rona and from the Hospice Society office at 1506 Ferry Ave. Tickets can also be ordered from the toll-free ticket hotline at 1-866-419-7604.

For rules and additional information, visit the Dream Home Lottery website at www.hospiceprincegeorge.ca/dreamhome.