An update on funds for Haiti relief

Since the devastating earthquake in Haiti last month it’s been heartening to see the overwhelming outpouring of support for those in need. I read today that Canadians have, so far, contributed more than $100-million to the relief effort (an amount matched by the Canadian government).

Aid organizations have been on the ground for weeks now using funds to provide shelter, clean water, food, medical care, and such basics as hygiene kits. Much is still needed though if Haiti is to rebuild.

As I said in my January 21 blog, Atlantic Lottery employees have been busy raising funds, and we were particularly motivated when our CEO Michelle Carinci promised that for every $1 we raised or donated, Atlantic Lottery would give $10.

We wanted to do our small part to help and we did; I’m very proud to say that 700 employees across the four Atlantic provinces managed to raise a total of $10,115, and Michelle, true to her word, presented an additional$101,150 to the Canadian Red Cross today!

We made the donation as a tribute to Atlantic Canadian volunteers who give selflessly to others here at home and abroad. And we made it in honour of two good men – RCMP Sergeant Mark Gallagher of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, and RCMP Chief Superintendant Douglas Coates of Ottawa – who made the ultimate sacrifice for the people of Haiti.

Try your luck – it’s only a buck!

Well,  it looks Shubenacadie Sam of Nova Scotia, Wiarton Willie of Ontario and Punxsutawney Phil of Pennsylvania all saw their shadows this morning. Six more weeks of winter. Six more weeks of snow, cold and shoveling. Have I depressed you yet?

If you’re not a fan of winter, and would happily send the cold and snow to Vancouver (they desperately need it after all), you’re probably daydreaming about warmer climes.

While I can’t send us all on a plane somewhere warm, I can share a little tip: It’s Bucko’s birthday and Atlantic Lottery is giving players a gift! Any winning tickets on the Feb. 2 Bucko draw will get double the prize (except free tickets), including a hefty $40,000 top prize which replaces the regular $20,000 for this draw only.

Want to know know more about Fun for a Buck? Check out http://www.alc.ca/English/WhatsNew/Article.aspx?id=1257

Busting-a-Move

Hi all, this is Krista Grant, guest blogging from Nova Scotia! This past Saturday (January 30), the Halifax Metro Centre was full of excitement and activity with about 800 people Busting-a-Move in support of breast health.

I was fortunate to be a part of this inaugural event that raised a whopping $1,143,169.11! This money will help purchase new digital mammography equipment that will help save lives because it can detect cancer in its earliest stages, reduce wait times and increase the number of screenings that can be completed each year.

The Bust-a-Move event was sponsored by Atlantic Lottery as part of its support and investment in communities across Atlantic Canada. The event was a fun-filled, action-packed day that saw participants being led by Nova Scotia’s top fitness instructors in six hours of exercise – yes that is NOT a typo, six hours of exercise – my muscles are still screaming at me!

The exercise routines included yoga, Pilates and Zumba, which unfortunately only validated how uncoordinated I am. One of the highlights of the day was the final exercise hour being led by the one and only Richard Simmons who of course donned his short shorts!

To top off the day two GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™  were set:

• Most people hugging simultaneously; and,

• Longest massage chain!

It sure is amazing what communities, businesses and individuals can accomplish by coming together and sharing a common goal – they make a huge impact in the lives of Nova Scotia women and their families. The new digital mammography equipment will start helping patients in the next few months and even though the event is over, general donations for Bust a Move will continue to be accepted until February 15, 1010 at www.bustamove.ca

The year in winners

Last year was a good one for winners, with Atlantic Lottery awarding more than $38-million in prizes of $500,000 or more. Tears, laughs, hugs, smiles, screams, hoots and hollers; we witnessed it all as we helped some terrific people celebrate.

The group wins really kept things hopping. Eighteen Department of Transportation employees from Havelock, N.B. claimed a cool $6-million on LOTTO 6/49. A lucky group of 19 friends from Gambo, N.L., hit a LOTTO Super 7 jackpot of $5-million just before the game’s retirement in September. A few weeks later, 20 postal workers and taxi drivers from Metro Moncton were the first Canadian winners of a major prize in the new national LOTTO MAX game. They claimed a second-prize of $240,438.

We also met some Atlantic Canadians who were Set for Life. There were smiles all around when winners from New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador claimed the game’s lump-sum prize of $675,000.

You don’t even have to buy your own ticket to experience a life-changing win. A Happy Valley, N.L. couple received a Scratch’N Win Monopoly ticket from their son. The $1-million prize they claimed made their kitchen renovations a breeze after that!

The biggest win of the year though was saved for the end of the year. That’s when a Dartmouth woman won a whopping $14.3-million jackpot on LOTTO 6/49. On her wish list was a new home big enough for her large family to gather together.

These are just some of the winning experiences that happen every day at Atlantic Lottery. Not everyone will win a life-changing amount, but even small wins can help with life’s simple pleasures. No matter the size of the win, all are celebrated as richer moments.

Reaching out to those who are weary in body and spirit

While following the news from Haiti each day, it’s impossible  to not be shocked by the sheer devastation and hurt. In a country already so overwhelmed by want and need, this latest blow seems all the more unbearable. 

We are moved to tears by their pain, but our hearts are warmed by the outpouring of support: little ones emptying piggy banks, older children sharing allowances, businesses everywhere making donations or acting as collection points, volunteers canvassing for money, and the men and women of our Armed Forces helping on the ground in Haiti. We all want to feel a little less helpless by bringing the world just a little bit closer. 

My fellow employees here at Atlantic Lottery volunteer their time and money to causes every day, and the relief effort is no different. We’ve been busy holding fundraisers and making donations, but so much is needed. That’s why we were so thrilled when our CEO Michelle Carinci told us today that for every $1 employees raise or donate, Atlantic Lottery will give $10. I get excited thinking about what a difference all 700 employees could make if we all give what we can.

It’s no surprise to those of us who live here to read about the generosity of Atlantic Canadians in times of crisis. Lending a hand to a friend or neighbour is, after all, just what we do. I’m sure many of you have also been holding fundraisers or making donations, why not post a comment here and share your stories or fundraising ideas? 

If you haven’t decided yet where to donate, here are some registered charities to consider:

The Canadian Red Cross at www.redcross.ca 

Oxfam Canada at www.oxfam.ca 

Doctors without Borders at www.msf.ca

They scratch, they score!

There were exciting times at Atlantic Lottery today when we got to hand out some rather unique prizes.  Let me set it up for you – seven Atlantic Canadians (and a guest); the trip of a lifetime; tickets to gold medal hockey games; skiing, speed-skating, snowboard-cross and figure-skating events; opening and closing ceremonies – all at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics!

They were all winners of one of 40 Olympic VIP prizes up for grabs on the Vancouver 2010 lottery ticket sold by Atlantic Lottery, British Columbia Lottery and Ontario Lottery and Gaming. There were five different Olympic VIP packages to be won, all of which included event tickets, airfare to Vancouver or Whistler, accommodations and meals. When it’s all added up, the packages are worth $22,000 each.

Three of our winning duos, all from Nova Scotia, came to our office today to celebrate with cake (yum!) and cheers. We had a couple from Sydney, a couple from Chester, and brothers from Halifax. They were excitedly talking about taking in the gold medal hockey games (men’s and women’s), skiing events, and just maybe, a Burton Cummings concert! While our other winners couldn’t join us, they too are excited about their prize and are really glad they bought the ticket too ( in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland & Labrador and Prince Edward Island).

We all got a chance to see an Olympic torch up close; that’s because Bill Schurman (better known around these parts as the GM of the Moncton Wildcats) was on hand in his torchbearer’s uniform to present them with their prize.

Have fun on your trip folks; I wish I was going with you!

Through the Looking Glass

Well folks, the eggnog and shortbread are gone, the new year has been toasted, and it’s great to be back! 

In looking back at the year that was, I can honestly say it was a busy one for Atlantic Lottery and its worker bees. Here’s just a sample of some of the things we were up to… 

Back in January, Atlantic Lottery joined the Government of Canada and the City of Summerside in a news conference to announce a new grandstand and raceway for the city. Of course, that facility is Red Shores @ Summerside Raceway, a hopping spot when it opened this summer just in time for the Canada Games in August. 

In April, we were there as a sponsor when Moncton hosted the Men’s World Curling championships, and we also raised $3,000 for the Sandra Schmirler Foundation as part of that sponsorship. And in Bay Roberts, we took in some hockey action through sponsorship of the Don Johnson Cup. 

In June, Atlantic Lottery’s Fan Club partnered with Breakfast Television to present Celebrate with Cirque, a contest for community volunteers. One lucky contest winner won admission for 12 to the Community Fan Club skybox in Halifax to watch Cirque du Soleil’s Alegria.  

August was practically all Canada Games all the time (and of course, Canada Games holds a soft spot as a personal highlight for me, spending two glorious weeks on the Island blogging away). We also took time for other sponsorships and fundraisers, though, including Canoe 09 in Dartmouth and Peter Gzowski Invitational Golf Tournaments for Literacy across the region.

September was a big month, with the retirement of LOTTO Super 7 and the launch of LOTTO MAX. To help spread the fun, September and October saw a number of unique promotions in Atlantic Canada: Going to the MAX gave those 19 and older the chance to roll downhill in a giant inflatable ball, and an augmented reality promotion (the first in Canada) allowed passers-by to be projected into images of themselves snowboarding, going on safari or snowboarding. We also were a presenting sponsor of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation’s Tour for the Cure initiative (there’s nothing like a big pink bus to catch your eye!)

In December, employees were busy raising money, supplying food, or volunteering their time to help ensure the holidays were special for all our friends and neighbours. We also partnered with other lotteries, gaming corporations and academics across the country to share the message that lottery tickets are not suitable gifts for your kids, and released the results of a major study looking at parental attitudes on youth gambling – a global first.

There is so much more of course. We also have ongoing commitments to charities and volunteers through Atlantic Lottery’s Community Fan Club. We remain a major sponsor of the Atlantic Ballet Theatre. We continue to support winter carnivals and summer festivals throughout Atlantic Canada. We’re looking forward to a break from the winter weather with the Hubcap Comedy Festival in February (more on that in an upcoming blog!). And we’ll be sponsoring the Canadian Cancer Society Relay for Life events across the region again this year.

Stay tuned – I’m sure 2010 will be an amazing year!

Twas the week before Christmas…

…and all through the region, Atlantic Lottery elves were busily cheering the season!

Softly falling snow, sparking lights, wide-eyed (or is that wild-eyed?) kids, presents under the tree, and family and friends sitting at a table groaning with food. Sounds just about perfect doesn’t it?

It’s also the season of giving and Atlantic Canadians are known for their generosity to others, particularly at this time of year. In the spirit of that generosity, I hope you’ll indulge me while I share some stories of giving here at Atlantic Lottery.

Proving that even a few people can make a difference, co-workers at our office in St. John’s have been busily collecting lots and lots of food so the local food bank can help its clients this season. We also provided money to the St. John’s Rotary Club for its Christmas hampers. In Dartmouth, staff helped out the food bank and sponsored a local family who needs a little help this year.

Over on P.E.I., The Red Shores folks got together to sponsor a family and are also collecting food for the food bank. Visitors can get in the giving too – anyone who drops off a food item gets a ballot for a turkey!

There are lots of us here in Moncton, so it was no surprise to me when we managed to fill reusable shopping bags with more than 1,600 lbs of food for a local food drive – the largest single donation to Food Depot Alimentaire this year. We also provided Moncton Headstart with money to help buy the fixings to go along with the turkeys provided by Sue Stultz’ annual turkey drive.

I know many of you also make a donation of time or money part of your Christmas traditions, and some of you make charitable donations at other times of year (after all, people need to eat in July too). Whatever the reason, whatever the season, I wish you peace and joy.

Happy Holidays!

Why lottery tickets are NOT appropriate gifts for minors

Guest blogger Jennifer Dalton here from the Newfoundland and Labrador office! Every year around this time, we partner with lotteries and academics across the country to share a simple yet very important reminder for the holiday season – lottery products are just not appropriate gifts for minors.

We know (because the research tells us) that there’s a link between gambling as a youth and developing a gambling problem later in life. That’s why it’s so critically important that minors don’t play lottery.

We also know that parents and other well-meaning family members are a primary source of lottery tickets – particularly Scratch’n Win tickets – because many don’t view these tickets as gambling.

That’s why, this year, we’re releasing the results of a major study looking at parental attitudes on youth gambling – a global first pioneered by a research team right here in Canada.

The study is called “Parents as Partners” and it confirms that while youth gambling can have lifelong consequences, it falls low on the list of parental worries. Of the many concerns parents have about their children – from unsafe sex to drug and alcohol use – underage gambling ranks last, with only 40 per cent of parents citing it. This falls well behind concerns about drug use (87 per cent), alcohol use (82 per cent), drinking and driving (81 per cent), unsafe sexual activities (81 per cent), and even excessive video game playing (64 per cent).

The good news is that there is a silver lining to the research findings – a whopping 95 per cent of parents believe they are responsible for preventing underage gambling, and two out of three parents think their children would be receptive to discussions about gambling.

So here’s my call to action: Don’t buy lottery products or gambling-themed gifts for the young people in your life – whether it’s your own children, your nieces and nephews, or your paper carrier – and talk to them about the risks associated with gambling, and why it’s so important for them to wait ‘til they are of age before they consider gambling.

If you want to know more, check out the full research results at www.decode.net

We’ve made changes to expiry dates on tickets!

Since offering entertaining games and awarding prizes are what we do, we’ve made some changes to expiry dates to make it easier for you to claim those prizes and live your richer moments. 

The biggest change is with our Scratch’n Win tickets. These tickets used to expire one year after they were offered for sale, but now, they no longer have an expiry date. So, if you find a winning ticket during the seasonal switch of purses or coats, in a Christmas card from last year, or even in a book (am I the only one who uses them as bookmarks?), don’t worry – the tickets are still good. 

We do partner with our national lottery counterparts on Scratch’n Win tickets from time to time (like Vancouver 2010 or Monopoly). When we do, these tickets will have the expiry date clearly marked on the ticket. 

As for draw and sports tickets – they used to expire one year after the draw date or one year after the date of the last game offered on the sports ticket.  To make life simpler, the expiry date will be clearly marked on the front of the ticket from now on. 

If you want to know more, our call centre staff is happy to help! Please give us a call at 1-800-561-3942.