After 10 weeks of ticket sales and support from across the community of Chatham-Kent, a winner has been announced for the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance Foundation’s (CKHAF) Igniting Healthcare 50/50 FUNdraiser.
John Schinkel, owner of Schinkels Gourmet Meats and a long-standing supporter of local healthcare, is the lucky winner of the 50/50’s $141,290 jackpot.
The winning ticket was drawn at 1 p.m. Wednesday outside the new MCH Homes office at 785 St Clair St. in Chatham.
"Last year, the winner took home a little bit over $124,000, and at $141,290 this year -it is a substantial increase from last year," said Andrew DeBoer, Marketing and Communications Office for the CKHA Foundation. "This community always steps up when it comes to supporting its local hospital, and this year was no different. We were also out in every corner of Chatham-Kent again this year, which helped contribute to the increased total."
This year, the foundation raised a total of $282,580. DeBoer told CK News the proceeds from the fundraiser will support purchasing a Sterrad Unit for the hospital.
"The Sterrad Unit will help sterilize other medical equipment using hydrogen peroxide gas plasma, rather than traditional steam, which will prolong the life of medical equipment and decrease sterilization turnaround time to help things run more efficiently," said DeBoer.
The new unit will reduce sterilization times and help support the sterilization of CKHA's growing fleet of ENT scopes.