Golden wedding anniversary capped with Lake Life Lottery win
KELOWNA, B.C., February 12, 2024 – For John and Sherry Gulley—a couple always on the go—the phone call on January 11 was enough to stop them in their tracks at the grocery store. That was the morning John was informed that he held the winning ticket to the Lake Life Lottery $1.37 million grand prize package, which includes a fully-furnished dream home in Quail’s Landing.
“I was in absolute disbelief,” chuckles John. “Tammie from the YMCA had to spend a good five minutes convincing me because I was so incredulous – I just couldn’t believe it!”
The Gulleys, who celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 2023, have called Kelowna home for the past decade, having lived in many cities throughout the province before choosing Kelowna as their permanent residence.
“We began our journey fifty years ago with almost nothing,” reflects Sherry. “Through years of hard work and countless relocations for the sake of our family’s opportunities, this unexpected blessing is a beautiful addition to our shared adventure.”
The couple, eager to share the news with their family in Calgary, found some humour in the younger family members’ confusion about winning a house in a lottery. John shares, “Our grandkids were somewhat perplexed when we told them. They thought that we had won a house from a scratch-and-win ticket or something!”
The Gulleys have close ties to community health. John’s father was a physician and his mother was a nurse, and Sherry has several cousins who work at Kelowna General Hospital (KGH). The couple are happy to support the YMCA of Southern Interior BC and KGH Foundation through the Lake Life Lottery. John explains, “We’ve supported other home lotteries, but this one is special because it is local, and the two causes are so important for our community.”
All funds raised from the Lake Life Lottery remain in the interior of BC, supporting physical, social and mental health initiatives through the KGH Foundation and the YMCA of Southern Interior BC.
While the Gulleys are the grand prize winners, Kamloops resident Hayley Green also celebrated a significant win, taking home over $235,000 as the Lake Life Lottery 50/50 draw prize winner. “Even after looking at the email and matching the tickets, it was still hard to believe,” she says. “In terms of impacting our lives, it makes dreams of travelling a reality – it just feels like more things are possible now.”
The excitement isn’t over just yet! Winning continues with the February ‘Splash of Cash’ month, offering $91,000 in cash prizes, including a $29,000 Leap Year draw. Ticket purchasers will be notified directly and all winners are listed at lakelifelottery.ca.
“A heartfelt congratulations to John and Sherry, Hayley, and all of the other prize winners – we are immensely grateful for your support,” says Tammie Watson, VP of Philanthropy and Marketing of the YMCA of Southern Interior BC. “Your help means the world to us and will enable the YMCA and KGH Foundation to support the mental, physical and social wellness of our community.”
“We would also like to thank residents from all over BC who purchased tickets to the Lake Life Lottery,” says Chandel Schmidt, VP of Philanthropy, KGH Foundation. “Your contributions will help your friends, family, and neighbours get the care, services and programs they need, close to home, through the KGH Foundation and the YMCA.”
In its second year, the 2023 Lake Life Lottery offered over $1.75 million in prizes, including the grand prize dream home, the 50/50 prize, a luxury speedboat, a 2024 Hyundai Kona, and getaways to destinations such as France, Greece, and Mexico.
The KGH Foundation and YMCA of Southern Interior BC are grateful to key partners and who donated prizes or provided significant prize discounts including Nyrose & Associates, Dockside Tow & Stow, Kot Auto Group, Manteo Resort, Spirit Ridge, the Kelowna Rockets, Quail’s Gate and the Quail Landing Development.
