Just before Christmas, Louise Wilkinson won the largest single-month prize to date in the Soldiers' 50/50 draw, taking home more than $44,000.
That same amount went into the Orillia Soldiers' Memorial Hospital (OSMH) Foundation coffers.
The popularity of the fundraiser has surpassed all expectations, raising $1,450,740 since it began in the spring of 2021.
Each month, people purchase tickets with the hopes of a payday and with the knowledge they're supporting the hospital. Typically, on the final Friday of each month, a winner is determined.
In the summer, the OSMH Foundation hosts the Soldiers’ Summer of Winning, a two-month draw that gives participants a chance to win an even bigger sum of money.
"The foundation started the Soldiers’ 50/50 to create a new avenue for supporting our community and our hospital," said Natasha Borutski, senior marketing and communications officer at the OSMH Foundation.
"It provides a great way for our community to get involved in philanthropy while also having an opportunity to get something back and have a little fun."
Money raised from Soldiers’ 50/50 has "greatly supported" the purchase of a new MRI machine that was installed this past fall at OSMH, she said.
"Funds are allocated to areas of greatest need for our hospital, which allows us to make any unplanned upgrades to provide excellent care for our patients," Borutski said.
The success of the 50/50 draws has "wildly exceeded" the expectations of the foundation.
"We’re grateful for the community’s support towards the Soldiers’ 50/50," Borutski said. "It’s wonderful to see that the community is enjoying playing and the funds are making a significant impact on the hospital."
She believes people enjoy participating because it's a simple way to support OSMH and they have the potential of winning a big prize.
"We always say that when someone wins our raffle, our whole community wins," she said. "The Soldiers’ 50/50 provides a unique opportunity for our community to get involved in supporting the hospital."
Borutski says the hospital has a long list of items it tracks for repair or replacement, and it prioritizes that list each year to determine where the greatest needs are.
"Our list is in the tens of millions of dollars, and just like most homeowners, we never have enough funding to purchase everything," she said. "Soldiers’ 50/50 helps to ensure that our hospital has funds available to make unplanned repairs or purchases and keep our health-care services running smoothly for our patients."
Orillia resident Brenda Morgan won more than $20,000 in the draw last February.
"When they called to tell me, I thought somebody was playing a joke on me," she said. "It was totally unexpected."
The winnings allowed Morgan, 65, to move into a more accessible home with her family.
Since July 2021, Morgan has battled both mantle B cell lymphoma and bone marrow cancer; she is still undergoing treatment at OSMH.
"They have given me very good care at the hospital," she said. "They have been very compassionate and supportive about my situation."
Because of the care she has received at OSMH, Morgan has been playing the Soldiers’ 50/50 draws for the past three years as a way to give back.
"I like that the money is going toward equipment and support that I may need in the future," she said. "I encourage everybody to buy lottery tickets from the hospital because it is an important way you can give back to the community."
The next big draw is slated for Jan. 26. Tickets can be purchased here. They are also available at the OSMH Foundation office at 146 Mississaga St. W., or by calling 705-325-6464.
