DIDSBURY — The annual Alberta Elks Foundation draw has received good support in 2022, with the thousands of dollars raised going to help community projects and organizations across Alberta, particularly in support of the less fortunate, says Didsbury’s Margo Ward, Alberta Elks Foundation Raffle chairperson.
The Alberta Elks Foundation is the charitable arm of the Alberta Elks Association.
“We raise money through our raffle to assist our communities and our lodges to make life better for the less fortunate,” said Ward. “Our lodges earn a commission for selling tickets and that money stays with them to do their work in their community.
“The rest of the money stays in Alberta as a source to the lodges when they have larger projects that they need assistance with.”
The Foundation supports Institute for Stuttering Treatment and Research (ISTAR) in Alberta as its main charity, she said.
“We disburse emergency funds for families with children that are devastated by fire,” she said. “We support our local hospitals, with equipment not supplied by the normal channels.
“Along with the many lodges in Alberta we also assist children with special needs, where what they need is not covered by AHS.”
Any family that has a child under the age of 18 that is in need for special equipment of care can approach a local lodge at any time for assistance, she said.
The 2022 draw was made in Didsbury on June 9, with many of the tickets having been sold in the Didsbury, Olds and Carstairs area.
M. Martens of Grande Prairie took first prize of $30,000 cash. E. Andrew of Edmonton took second prize of $10,000 cash, D. Sorge of Pincher Creek took the third place prize of $5,000, and C. Parsons of Barrhead took the fourth place prize of $1,500 in Fas Gas gift cards.
After the prizes are paid out, the foundation's take from this year's draw will be about $50,000, she said.
