Vera Gallant, secretary of the Lloydminster Kiwanis Club puts city resident Connie Kempton on the speaker phone Friday to tell her she won $10,000 in the club’s 50/50 draw made at the Universal Consulting Group office. The lucky retiree was driving to Edmonton at the time. Geoff Lee Meridian Source
Connie Kempton was driving to Edmonton with a friend on Friday when she got the best shock of her life, causing her to pull over.
It was Lloydminster Kiwanis Club secretary Vera Gallant on the phone telling the Lloydminster retiree she’d won $10,000 from the 50/50 draw pot of $20,000.
“We’ve just made the draw for the $10,000 and guess what? asked Gallant.
“Don’t tell me I won,” replied Kempton who later went on to ask, “Can you repeat that?” then, “Are you telling me I won $10,000?” before it finally sank in during the back and forth banter.
Ironically, it was Gallant who sold Kempton the winning ticket and joked, “You told me you’d give me half if you won.”
“I’m on my way to a casino, I’ll spend your half there,” quipped Kempton.
The lucky ticket was pulled from a drum at Universal Consulting Group by partner Erin Rommel.
Kempton noted she didn’t have any immediate plans for the money, but told a livestream audience on Facebook,
“Kiwanis is great organization.”
“I gave that money for the right cause. Sometimes paying it forward really pays doesn’t it, “ she stated.
Gallant wound up her end of the call thanking Kempton for supporting Kiwanis and wishing her a happy Thanksgiving.
“Happy Thanksgiving to you too. This is a blessing isn’t it,” added Kempton.
The $10,000 share that goes to Kiwanis is expected to fund their two main charity events starting with the Santa project, one of Gallant’s favourites.
She says every child from pre-K to Grade 2 in both school divisions will receive a bag with a toy and chocolates, candies, chips and cheesies along with a Christmas orange and candy canes.
“We are already shopping and looking for deals on items we put in the bags. We will start delivering to the schools hopefully in the second week of December,” said Gallant.
“We’ll be packing 2,000 bags.”
The club is also the title sponsor of the annual Kiwanis Lloydminster and District Music Festival.
“The $10,000 hopefully will be enough to cover those two projects,” said Gallant.
“This is the fourth year we have done this fundraising and every year we’ve been able to sell out.”
“The community is awesome. I pound the pavement. I go to a lot of businesses and everyone is very welcoming and very supportive.”
Gallant also took the opportunity to name UCG founder Paul Richer, who was absent, as a recipient of the club’s distinguished service award along with a gift card to Tim Hortons.
“He’s just very supportive of the Kiwanis Club,” said Gallant.
