KESWICK DREAM HOME FOR A CAUSE
Cash & Cars Lottery benefits cancer research
There’s the cash, there’s the cars and then there are the homes.
With grand-prize show homes in both Edmonton and Calgary as drawing cards, officials are hoping to sell out the 2017 edition of the Cash & Cars Lottery with the proceeds going to support cancer research and prevention as well as screening initiatives and enhanced care programs across Alberta.
“The lottery is the most exciting way to raise money for the Cross Cancer Institute and 16 other cancer centres across the province,” said Sean Capri of the Alberta Cancer Foundation. “The prize homes in Edmonton and Calgary are an important part of the lottery and while they will change the winners’ lives, they are also a large reason why we have been able to raise millions over the years.”
The Edmonton home, a custom semi-attached bungalow in the southwest portion of the city, is a 3,778-square-foot offering from Kimberley Homes that exudes classic elegance and brings in a California flair with a Napa Valley-inspired wine room and a Hollywood-style theatre room.
“This lottery home is in our Keswick Villas development in the spectacular Keswick on the River neighbourhood,” said Steve Ruggiero, president and managing partner of the Kimberley Homes Group. “Its features include a chef’s kitchen, a luxurious spa ensuite and a stunning wine room. It’s one of the largest units in this development.”
The main floor — with 2,047 square feet of living space highlighted by 10-foot ceilings and decorative wood panelling — is home to a spacious open-concept floor plan that encompasses the kitchen, dining and great rooms. Eyes will most likely dart over to the dining room, where painted wood panelling with inset mirrors turns this part of the house into an elegant spot for a formal meal. For more informal dining, the kitchen’s oversized island includes a table-height extension.
A walk-through butler’s pantry space runs parallel to the kitchen. Doors at each end of the pantry give the perception of perhaps a small closet inside until you open either one to discover a wall of built-in cabinetry and a second fridge.
The great room is highlighted by stacked stone that surrounds the gas fireplace. The main level also includes an office with wood panelling and double French doors.
The master suite transitions the home to upscale hotel chic. Head in one direction down a short hallway and you’re in a lavish bed chamber. In the other direction, a fashionable ensuite has two separate vanities with quartz countertops, undermount sinks, a free-standing soaker tub and a glass shower enclosure and door.
Downstairs, there’s an additional 1,731 square feet of living space. The two bedrooms on this level have a regal look — one decorated with a feminine touch, the other more masculine — and there’s a full bathroom, all of which account for just part of the fully finished lower level.
While two circular sofas in the central family space provide a welcoming impression, a glassedin wine room with built-in shelves and wine racks give the lower level a luxury feel. At the other end of the lower level, the Hollywood-influenced theatre room awaits. A small and tasteful movie marquee hints at what is to come, welcoming you to the screening room with its raised platform and comfortable, theatrelike seating. A large flat-screen TV is framed by custom black velvet drapery and a matching valance.
“Our entire team at Kimberley Homes is very proud to be able to support those who are struggling with cancer,” said Ruggiero. “Giving back to the community is very important to us, and this year’s contribution will see us cross the $1.5 million mark in giving to the Alberta Cancer Foundation. We are truly appreciative of the work that is being done by the foundation. There simply is no better cause to be supporting.”
Since 2000, the lottery has raised $28 million for cancer programs in Alberta. While winning the Edmonton home or its Calgary cousin — a 3,790-square-foot two-storey custom offering with three bedrooms and a sunken upstairs bonus room with vaulted ceilings — will impact the winners’ lives, the Cash & Cars Lottery makes a much bigger difference for those dealing with cancer.
“I want every person who buys a ticket to know that they’re a hero,” said Rickie-Lee Hildebrand, a 22-year-old cancer survivor, at the Cash & Cars Lottery launch event. Cancer-free for almost four years, Hildebrand is an Osteosarcoma survivor; a lump on her left knee turned out to be a type of cancer known to affect young people. “If not for supporters like you and the Cash & Cars Lottery, I might not be here today.”