Ticket sales for the Cash and Camping Lottery are down this year, and organizers are hoping Grande Prairie will dig deep to support the community. That support was clearly shown Monday when 27 wheelchairs were delivered to be donated to people who don’t have the funds to purchase their own. Swan City Rotary Club Past President Naomi Ducklow says it’s a cause close to her heart.
“I deal with mobility issues, so standing up in front of you today I could be running; Thursday I wasn’t walking,” she explains. “These wheelchairs are actually made with rugged wheels, so they’re actually made so if you are in a rural area and you are dealing with gravel, you’re going to be able to get around.
The Cash and Camping Lottery supports 12 local non-profits, including Spinal Cord Injury Alberta. Without funds from the lottery, Past President Holly Sorgen says projects like this one may not be possible.
“If we don’t sell tickets, then those groups are affected as well. We also do allocations, so we have $60-$100,000 that’s not going to go out to the community as well. It is definitely an overarching effect if we can’t get our fundraisers going the way we need to.”
Proceeds from this year’s lottery will help with renovations at the Grande Prairie Women’s Residence and subsidize summer camp fees for lower-income families at Camp Tamarack. The cut off for ticket sales is July 4th at 7 p.m.
