Golden Tickets drawn at Golden Age

After almost a full year of fundraising, the Kateri Memorial Foundation (KMF)’s Golden Tickets winners have been drawn – 1,000 tickets were sold, with the fundraiser selling out once again.

Barney Diabo was the big winner, receiving the grand prize of $25,000. Raju Ahmed won the second prize of $10,000, and Trish Norton’s number was drawn for the third prize, receiving $5,000.

“It’s a whole year of fundraising, so to see it come to an end and see the winners, it’s a whole year of anticipation,” said Emily Kane, events coordinator for the KMF.

KMF grossed $100,000 through the tickets, which started being sold last June at their Charity Golf Tournament and continued throughout the year – the bulk of the sales being at the KMF’s Winter Wonderland – with the last ticket being sold just last week.

Half of the money raised is being used for the prizes, while the other half goes back to the community as a source of funding for the various KMF initiatives and everyday operations.

“There are people who bought multiple tickets, and I think in the back of their minds, they know it’s going for a good cause, so it’s a win-win,” said Kane. “You know where the money’s going, and you have a chance at winning $25,000.”

That’s exactly why $5,000 prize winner Norton buys tickets every year.

“It’s for a good cause, it’s nice to help out our community when we can,” said Norton.

She watched along as the board of the KMF livestreamed the draw on Facebook from the Golden Age Club on Monday.

The ticket numbers were written on ping pong balls and drawn from a big tumbler; the first number drawn got the first prize, and so on. Then the names were revealed from the 10th prize to the first prize.

When Norton saw that the third number was hers, she was ecstatic.

“My first reaction was, ‘holy crap, yes sir!’” said Norton. “Then another ‘yes sir!’ and a fist pump again when she called my name.”

This was the first time she had ever won a Golden Ticket draw.

“It’s pretty awesome. It’s always for a good cause, with everything that the foundation does for our community,” said Norton.

“It’s nice to win but it’s not something I think about, either way it’s a nice donation to our community and the KMF.”

Although they do sell out, the tickets do not literally sell themselves, and Kane said the KMF could not do any of their fundraising or special events - including the Golden Ticket sales - without the volunteers who help out at every turn.

“We want to thank our volunteers who continuously help us. We would not be able to do it without them,” said Kane. “Our board of directors also contribute by selling tickets all season.”

The full list of winners can be found on KMF’s Facebook page.

The start of the next Golden Ticket season is already close, with the next Charity Golf Tournament coming in a few months in June.

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