Cottager shares good fortune with Lindsay hospital

A Toronto resident is paying his $646,749 Split the Pot Lottery grand prize win forward by partnering with Lindsay’s Ross Memorial Hospital Foundation.

Bill and his wife, Debbie — last names withheld as per contest requirements — are cottagers in Kawartha Lakes. When he bought tickets for the multi-hospital lottery, Bill chose the local foundation as his charity partner. The hospital receives funds from ticket sale proceeds.

“I have been a seasonal resident in the Lindsay area all of my life. As a senior citizen, one of the key reasons we continue to reside in the area is because we have such a great hospital nearby,” Bill said in a media release.

When he read about the Split the Pot lottery, it sounded like another great opportunity to support the hospital.

The Ross Memorial Hospital Foundation is one of 51 Ontario hospital foundations participating in the Split the Pot lottery, which is a spin on a traditional 50/50 draw. Fifty per cent of ticket sales is distributed to 13 winners, and the remaining 50 per cent directly supports participating hospitals.

“We were thrilled to hear that the lucky winner of the Split the Pot grand prize chose the Ross Memorial Hospital Foundation as his hospital charity partner,” said foundation CEO Erin Coons.

“We couldn’t be happier for Bill and his family. This is truly a lifechanging win. We’re very fortunate to have a vibrant cottage community in Kawartha Lakes — people who consider the Ross to be their hospital, too. We can all ensure our hospital is equipped to care during times of need.”

The foundation is grateful to everyone who bought tickets. The lottery is yet another way people can help fund medical equipment and critical hospital needs not covered by government funding.

The Ross benefits when people choose the RMH Foundation when purchasing their tickets, or when they choose “all hospitals.” The online lottery is operated by Ascend Fundraising Solutions and hosted (licensed) by the Grand River Hospital Foundation.

For more information or to learn about future lotteries, visit splitthepot.ca.

KIM COULTER PHOTO Ross Memorial Hospital Foundation CEO Erin Coons, second from left, was thrilled to celebrate happy news with the grand prize winners of the Split the Post multi-hospital lottery. Shown with Coons are long-time Kawartha cottagers Bill B. and his wife Debbie, daughter Laura, left, and her husband Adam, right.