Stampede announces lucky lottery winners
Dean Semeniuk thought the call was a joke at first, but winning the lottery was entirely real for him.
He was one of multiple winners of several Calgary Stampede Lotteries contests announced on live television on Wednesday. The biggest winners this year were Kelvin Daly of Calgary, who won the Rotary dream home valued at more than $900,000, and Tammy Noel of Airdrie, who won $739,642.50 in the Split ’Em 50 prize.
Semeniuk walks away, or drives away, with a brand new GMC Sierra and a Cobalt boat, with a combined valued of $158,000.
“It feels amazing. I’ve just got a perma-smile,” said Semeniuk, a Calgarian who owns a contracting company in the city.
“I’ve never won anything in my life. You never expect to win ... I didn’t even really think about it after I put the tickets in, so the last thing I was expecting was to win.”
Semeniuk has been thinking about saving up for a boat for years, but he says it’s that much sweeter now that he doesn’t have to worry about making payments.
Other winners announced were: Cindi McKenna from Calgary, who won a GMC Canyon and an off-road vehicle package; Sandra Beckner from Airdrie, who won a Stingray Corvette; Jimmie Burke from Manitoba, and Shirley Bergeron, who rides off on her brand new motorcycle.
A portion of ticket sales will go to various charities in Calgary, including the Kinsmen Club of Calgary and STARS Ambulance.
In 2015, more than $1 million was distributed to charities by Calgary Stampede Lotteries.