Legion organizing “Catch The Ace” lottery

The Mitchell branch of the Royal Canadian Legion is the latest organization in the region to “Catch The Ace” craze.

And everyone is the better for it.

The Legion held their first progressive raffle lottery called “Catch The Ace” last Friday, Sept. 27, at the Legion branch on St. Andrew Street. Nancy Clarke was the first winner, taking home $116, but her guess that the Ace of Spades from a standard deck of cards was in envelope 26 failed, so the opportunity is there for the next weekly winner – Oct. 4 – to “catch the ace” if they correctly predicted where the Ace is.

The progressive jackpot, not to mention the suspense, will build until there is a winner.

If, for example, Clarke’s guess found the ace, she would have won an additional $174.

Various organizations in the region, from Brussels to Stratford to Lucknow to Goderich, have capitalized on what has become a popular game of chance, with a couple in their early 50’s winning the top prize of $30,000 in a recent Brussels contest.

Someone from the Mitchell area could sure use that kind of cash, don’t you think?

That’s what the Legion is hoping as the drama builds, but as it does, the Legion itself benefits as more people get involved and buy tickets. The money they raise stays at the Legion to manage its good work, but also for community projects.

A true win-win for all involved.

Legion executive member Paul Clarke came up with the idea a few months ago after discussing it with his sister Joanne McDonald, who has helped organize the Brussels Legion draw.

“I figured if my sister could do it, so could I,” Clarke quipped.

Ticket sales were slow for opening night, but word is just starting to spread on the raffle and how it works.

Clarke said if the raffle continues and no Ace is found the Friday night crowds will increase as the tension builds, which benefits the Legion, too.

The original concept began in Newfoundland a few years ago, Clarke explained, and has grown from there as that grand prize was more than $1.5 million. The Ontario Lottery & Gaming Corporation (OLG) has since put caps on the top prize provincially, but still plenty worthwhile as the odds are good you could be a substantial winner.

The Legion has an official municipal lottery licence, with smaller prize caps, but OLG also governs their own and, according to their website, shows their “commitment to modernizing the charitable gaming industry.”

Tickets are just $5 each (with a maximum of four per person) and purchaser must include their legal name, and you must be over the age of 18 to participate.

Tickets are available at the Legion, Faust Home Hardware, Walther’s IDA, Excalibur Insurance, Ace Country & Garden and from select Legion members. Ticket sales stop at 2 p.m. the day of the draw, and this week’s draw is Oct. 4 at 7 p.m.

If the raffle goes the limit, it will take 40-weeks which will take the raffle until just before the July long weekend next year, potentially making one lucky local person a proud and richer Canadian.