SYDNEY, N.S. -- How does more than $167,000 sound as a Christmas present, or a birthday present, or both?
North Sydney, N.S. resident Catherine Hill can answer the question.
She has over 167,000 reasons to be thankful after receiving a call that thousands had been waiting for, notifying her that she had won the largest jackpot of the year for the Glace Bay Minor Hockey 50/50 draw.
Hill’s win was extra special considering the call came on her 58th birthday!
“I chanced it by putting ‘Happy Birthday to Me’ on the tickets,” says Hill. “I took the time to do that on every single ticket.”
Hill currently works in health care and was planning to retire at the age of 65, but says that’s been bumped up a bit by her big win.
“I have a house to pay off, and some repairs to do before I retire, but I’m going to be able to get out a little earlier than I though and help a couple of my kids out,” says Hill.
Hill had purchased just 22 of the more than 300,000 tickets dumped into the drum on Sunday.
A grand total of $334,773 in tickets was sold, with half going to Hill and half going back to the Glace Bay Minor Hockey Association.
“Who couldn’t use $167,385.50?” asks James Edwards, president of the Glace Bay Minor Hockey Association. “Her reaction was that she could use that money and it is going to be a very Merry Christmas for the Hill family.
Money raised from the draw allows the kids registered with the association to hit the ice for free.
As for Hill, she was serenaded with a rendition of Happy Birthday, from everyone in the hall after receiving the big news.
A birthday, and Christmas, that Catherine Hill will never forget.
