Group of 10 Sudbury co-workers win $445K in hospital 50/50 draw

A group of 10 from Greater Sudbury have won $445,452, the jackpot in January’s 50/50 draw in support of Health Sciences North (HSN).

A group of 10 staff members from McDowell Equipment in Greater Sudbury have won $445,452, the jackpot in January's 50/50 draw in support of Health Sciences North. (Supplied)The winners are 10 staff members from McDowell Equipment.

“Don’t tell me we just won HSN,” said Shannon Commando of McDowell Equipment, when Shane Gordon, the manager of lottery and websites at the HSN Foundation called to tell her about the win on Friday.

“I am running upstairs right now to tell all the girls.”

Commando is in charge of purchasing the tickets for the group. She had to convince her co-workers of the win, evening saying “I’m dead serious” while still on the phone.

Commando told Gordon that the group has been buying tickets for about a year now.

“Only ever with the thought of supporting the hospital,” she said, in a news release.

“None of us ever expected to win – one of our girls even cried when she found out.”

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“Winning together as a group is always exciting,” said Anthony Keating, the president of the HSN Foundation.

“Congratulations to Shannon and all the lucky winners at McDowell Equipment.”

“This is such a special way to start our year,” said Commando.

Since its inception, the HSN Foundation’s 50/50 draw has given away more than $24 million to winners all over Ontario.

 “Your ongoing support ensures we continue to make a lasting impact on patient care for those living in Sudbury and across northeastern Ontario,” said Keating.

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The February HSN 50/50 draw is live at www.hsn5050.ca and the jackpot is already more than $87,500. Click here for more information.

Next month is Heart Month and the foundation has announced that a portion of the proceeds from the HSN 50/50 for February will support cardiac care excellence at HSN – as the regional cardiac referral centre, the hospital sees on average 27,000 cardiac visits annually.

Tickets for the February draw are available to purchase right now, with sales ending at 11:59 p.m. on Feb. 22. The jackpot-winning ticket will be drawn on Feb. 23 at 10 a.m.

For more information on the HSN Foundation’s 50/50 draws and the work they do, visit their social media page.