When the winner of Battleford Union Hospital Foundation’s cash lottery was drawn, organizers had difficulty tracking her down.
It turned out Lydia Hagen was already in the building. In BUH recovering from a fall, Hagen found out she won the $100,000 in her hospital room. Helping her celebrate were her daughter, Karen Martens, and a friend from her home town of Spiritwood.
Hagen said she wasn't excited or had any plans on what to do with the money because the experience hadn't completely sunk in yet, although she did kiss the cheque presented to her by BUH Foundation's Executive Director Claudette McGuire.
Also on hand to accept a cheque was Brandi Heller, who also didn't have far to travel for the presentation ceremony. Heller works at the hospital and picked up the 50/50 cheque totalling $51,072.50 on behalf of her mother, Deanna Spence, who is away on holiday.
The cash lottery is just one fundraising drive the BUH Foundation holds annually. So far this year the foundation has raised more than $300,000 that goes toward purchasing new equipment for the hospital.
