Stampede lottery winners ride off with almost $2.5M in prizes
A few lucky Albertans came away with more than a hangover from the Calgary Stampede — including the largest, most valuable Rotary Dream Home offered and $825,423 from the Split ’em 50 draw.
Donald Wakelam of Nanton is the winner of the $938,375, fourbedroom, Scandinavian-inspired dream home, while Donna Wilshusen of Airdrie, left the grounds with half of the $1,650,865 jackpot of Split ’em 50.
“It’s been a blur since it happened,” said a grinning Wakelam. “My wife was watching (the results) on the news and I hear a blood curdling scream. I thought something happened to one of the kids, so I went running into the room and she was running around (saying) ‘we won a house! We won a house!’ ”
Wakelam was born and raised in Calgary and said he has been purchasing lottery tickets for as long as he can remember.
This was the first year in two decades that he didn’t attend the 10day western celebration. Although he hasn’t seen the house in person, he said jokingly that he’s taken the virtual tour dozens of times.
“What more could you ask for?” he said about the brand-new, 2,580-square-foot house with a finished basement — a first for the Stampede dream home. The house will be ready in November in the Carrington community in the N.W.
Equally surprised was Wilsh us en, who’s walking away with almost $1 million. “After you buy the tickets you kind of just go on with your life,” she said. “It’s still very much unbelievable. I still can’t comprehend that my ticket can be drawn out of thousands and thousands.”
Wilshusen said the money means a lot to her and her family, but they are still figuring out what to do with the winnings.
The Stampede Lotteries support charities in the community through the Calgary Stampede, The Kinsmen Club of Calgary and the Rotary Club of Calgary South. Last year, $1.2 million was donated.
For one winner, buying tickets was all about the cause.
“I love supporting the Stampede and our city. That’s the only reason I buy tickets — I never buy tickets thinking I’m going to win,” said Anita Sharma, winner of the truck and fifth-wheel prize package.
With her husband and two boys, she hopes to make good use of the trailer and camp more regularly — this time in style with a 2017 Montana 3820FK fifth wheel, which sleeps six and has five slide-outs.
The other seven prize winners, all but one from Calgary, received one or a combination of new vehicles, toys or a trip to Hawaii.