After 52 weeks, the Catch the Ace fundraiser in Sault Ste. Marie is over.
Harold Archibald and his wife Tracy, of Sault Ste. Marie, had the winning ticket Thursday night, taking home a prize of just over $1.3-million.
A total 175,000 tickets were sold.
Harold had started playing in the last six or seven draws, and this week his friend picked up his ticket for him. He says he won’t be sharing the prize, but he does owe him a four-wheeler. When asked about his reaction when he found out he had the winning ticket he said: “Too much, it shook the crap out of me.”
Harold was not at the Esquire Club when his ticket number was drawn, but he raced down there before even calling his wife to tell her.
“I don’t have a cell phone. I don’t want to page her. I’ll wait, she’ll be surprised.” said Harold.
When asked: what is the first thing you will do with the money? He said: “Let my wife know.”
And when he finally called his wife, she had already heard the news.
Despite the windfall of $1.3-million, Harold says he is not going to retire from the tube mill.
The Esquire Club says $1.9-million was raised through the initiative for two local charities, Big Brothers Big Sisters Sault Ste. Marie and Group Health Centre Trust Fund, and organizers say they will be starting up a new Catch the Ace on November 1st, this time for four charities.
