Lacombe residents Brent and Sue Sage recently won the $948,000 STARS Calgary show home.
“We are so appreciative of what STARS does, especially most recently in Humboldt,” said Sage. “We have always supported STARS, as our daughter was airlifted from Red Deer to Edmonton about 28 years ago.”
Sage said he found out he wont he show home after his son called him saying his boss was asking about him.
“His boss said, ‘If that is your dad, you better get a hold of him because I think he just won the STARS dream home’,” Sage said. “His boss rewound it (the live drawing) on his PVR and then filmed it on his smart phone. He sent us a clip of the STARS drawing my name.
“Sure enough, it was Brent Sage from Lacombe.”
Sage, who said they were in shock all day and are still feeling surreal about it, said he didn’t even know the draw was in April and buying STARS lottery tickets was their way of giving back for STARS saving their daughters life in 1990.
“I didn’t care about that part of it — it is more of a donation for me,” he said. “I buy tickets because I want to keep them in the air. When STARS got my daughter to UofA and saved her life, it has been a pay it back thing since then.”
Sage said his family has no intention of moving to Calgary and will use the funds from selling the house to pay off their mortgage in Lacombe and perhaps retire a bit earlier.
“We are Lacombe people and we have been here forever. I was born and raised here in the late 60s. My whole family is here,” Sage said.
He added him and his wife will continue to work and will also continue to support STARS through buying the lottery tickets.
The lottery, which is in its 25th year, is the largest source of funding for STARS, whose work supports critically ill and injured patients across the province.
This year, the lottery finished at 95 per cent sold, raised approximately $10 million in net profit and handed out over 3,035 prizes valued at over $4.7 million.
Wendy Beauchesne, executive vice president, was on hand when the winners of the lottery were contacted.
“The support of our allies is what makes STARS soar. Thank you, Alberta for joining our fight to save lives,” said Beauchesne. “By supporting the STARS lottery for 25 years, you have continued to fuel our passion and innovation as we deliver vital care to critically ill and injured Albertans across the province.”
This years’ other big winners include Frank and Bev Kehoe of St. Albert, who won the $975,000 Edmonton show home; Boris Ovtchinnikov of Calgary, who won the Lethbridge home valued at $892,500; and George Wheaton of Calgary who won the $500,000 Dream Fund.
“We have bought STARS lottery tickets for years, as our son has been a pilot with medevac fixed wing for 10 years,” said Frank Kehoe. “We have a large family and we all travel on the highways frequently, so we understand the importance of STARS.”
Other prizes includes the Lucky STARZ 50/50, valued at $1.75 million; the Early Bird prize, valued at $350,000; a 2018 Audi S3 Technik; a 2018 Mercedes-Benz CLA250; a 2018 Lexus IS300; and a 2018 Jeep Compass North FWD.
For more information, log on to starslotteryalberta.ca
