The winner of the 2021 CHEO Dream of a Lifetime Lottery is ….
An Ottawa family is kicking off 2022 by winning the CHEO Dream of a Lifetime Lottery.
"Oh my god, it's stunning," said Carly Coldham, walking into the Minto Dream Home with her husband Mark and two children.
The CHEO Foundation announced ticket number 013613, held by Mark Coldham, won the grand prize package worth over $3.1 million in the annual lottery to support CHEO.
"I’m speechless, blown away," says Carly Coldham."Never in my wildest imagination could I have even thought we would get that call today. I thought it was somebody scheduling a delivery looking for Mark, but at first I think I thought it was a bit of a scam at first and than was overcome with joy."
The grand prize includes the Minto Dream Home fully furnished by La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries, bi-weekly cleaning for one year from ATC Cleaning, $100,000 in cash, a 2021 four-door LTD Hybrid Explorer 4WD from Donnelly Ford Lincoln Ltd., a $5,000 gift card from Farm Boy, moving services from Adam's Moving and legal services from Mann Lawyers.
"You think of the odds, you think it’s going to charity and that’s all that matters," says Mark Coldham, adding the couple buys tickets each year. “This year we were thinking do we want to buy one ticket or three and Carly said lets get three. It goes to charity and we’ve used CHEO with the kids a bunch of times."
When it comes to keeping the home, the Coldham family have plenty to think about, but say that after walking through the house, it would be hard to turn away.
"It’s stunning, the layout is incredible, the furniture inside it really is a dream home," says Carly.
"It lives up to the tagline that’s for sure," adds Mark.
Meantime, Rosalee Gravelle of Russell, Ont. is the winner of the 50/50 draw jackpot, which climbed to a record $2,867,625. Gravelle wins $1.4 million.
Ticket holders can check their tickets online at www.dreamofalifetime.ca as of 5 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 6. All winners will receive a confirmation letter from MNP LLP within two weeks detailing how to claim their prize.
Money raised through the CHEO Dream of a Lifetime Lottery and the 50/50 draw support pediatric healthcare and research at CHEO, the CHEO Research Institute and Roger Neilson House.
Dan Champagne, vice-president of development and corporate relations with the CHEO Foundation, says there has been a sharp increase in mental health issues among children.
"There is somewhere in the order of a 400 per cent increase in traffic to our emergency departments because of COVID with children and our youth so this money allows us to put it where it’s needed the most right away," said Champagne.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.