Last week, when the Guelph Humane Society reached out to the couple that held the winning ticket for their new lottery, they got a response like never before.
The winners of the There's No Place Like Home 50/50 lottery, Ann and Michael Paul, said rather than keep the $18,840 winnings, they would like to give back all $18,000 back to the GHS.
“They said they don't need the funds and the animals need care. So that's where they wanted the money to go,” said Jennifer Fraser, donor manager at the GHS.
“They are older and they feel like they now have everything they need.”
The GHS began its 50/50 lottery this year when in-person fundraisers were not possible as a result of the pandemic. It held its first lottery in the spring, second in the summer and third last week.
Fraser says the couple supports a number of animal organizations and has been longstanding supporters of GHS.
The Paul's declined an interview.
“They are going to take the extra $840 and they’re going to take all the friends out for a celebratory dinner because they haven't seen everybody in a long time with COVID. So they're going to go out and celebrate the winnings in the new building just being together.”
“When you get to a certain age you don't need anything more. So they just think wanted to give it back because they believe that this is where the need was, and they really like to just support organizations that are focused on animal care.”
The couple owns two cats they got from the GHS. The organization will name one of the cat adoption rooms after them.
“We want to definitely celebrate our donors when they come to the table like this. Doesn't happen often,” said Fraser adding that while the need for funding is ongoing, it is really special at this time of the year.
She said the couple had already booked a time to see the new building on Sunday before the winners were announced.
“So it just happened that our winners were already scheduled to come in and take a look at the place they supported. It really just kind of came together with regard to meeting them at the building to see exactly what their funds were supporting,” said Fraser.
“They got the opportunity to see the building and to see firsthand where those dollars are gonna go and meet some of the animals that are going to be helped. So it was a great opportunity to get to know us more and what we're all about and probably felt good about donating the funds back.”
