The Make-A-Wish Saskatchewan’s Chase the Ace is setting records.
The current Chase the Ace is in Week 47 with no Ace Drawn. Cathi Arola, communications specialist for Make-A-Wish explained that the lottery is breaking records as a fundraiser for the organization.
“We’ve never had it last as long,” Arola said.
“It’s pretty phenomenal that is still there.”
The Chase the Ace progressive jackpot is at $57,925. The draw is done at the Saskatoon office each Thursday and is recorded for Facebook Live with a proxy person in attendance to ensure they follow lottery rules in Saskatchewan.
“Basically it’s drawn through our computer program and when we find somebody who won the draw, (Chapter Director) Allyson (Toye) calls them and give them 15 minutes to answer the phone,” Arola said. “If they don’t answer in the 15 minutes she will go ask somebody else, but they usually answer.
When the person answers, they are asked to pick an envelope. If they select an envelope with an Ace, they win the $57,000 progressive jackpot. If the envelope has no ace, they win the weekly pot, which is around $1,094 right now.
If Toye calls the weekly winner three times in that 15 minutes and can’t get in contact with the winner, they are still the weekly winner and they have a proxy which is usually a volunteer to Make a Wish and that Proxy will select an envelope for the winner.
They currently have only six envelopes left.
“We didn’t expect it at all,” Arola said. “We started this back in September after I got back to my holiday, so the fact that we’re still here, 10 months later, is phenomenal. We never expected that it would last this long.”
Arola said fundraisers like Chase the Ace are a risk because they can end quickly or become drawn out like the current edition.
The Chase the Ace could last the entire 52 weeks for 52 cards in a deck.
“Right now it’s a 47, so we’re getting near the end,” Arola said.
The overall goal for 2023 Make-A-Wish Canada is to grant 1,600 wishes across Canada, with 85 wishes in Saskatchewan
“We’re doing our best to grant those 85 wishes this year,” Arolaa said.
Another upcoming event for Make-A-Wish is the Heroes Challenge in Saskatoon. The Saskatchewan Blue Cross Heroes Challenge is around the corner. On September 20, the Saskatoon Sports Centre will be opening their doors to superheroes from across the region.
They are recruiting 10 teams of about 10 to12 participants each, and the first challenge is to raise $10,000. They will use your superpower of hope, strength and joy and will work alongside an honourary wish kid team captain to help inspire the quest.
Each hero will face various challenges on event day, including a larger-than-life obstacle course, bumper ball, minds games and more.
This year’s goal is to raise $100,000. The deadline to register is August. For more information, visit: https://makeawish.ca/event/saskatchewan-blue-cross-heroes-challenge/.
The 2023 Chase the Ace wish kid ambassador is Everly from Dalmeny.
michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca
