Derek Letourneau said Calgary Stampede 2022 was a very lucky week.
Letourneau, the winner of the Stampede Lotteries 2022 Rotary Dream Home, was presented with the keys to his new home Tuesday.
The 36-year-old father of three, who is a drywall finisher by trade, had just moved to Calgary from Victoria in March. It was his first-ever trip to the Calgary Stampede, and he’d been on a lucky streak that week. He’d been playing poker a few days prior and hit the bad beat jackpot on his birthday.
“Then three days later, I went to the Stampede and felt lucky and bought tickets,” Letourneau told LiveWire Calgary.
He said the overwhelming feeling came three times. First, he’d walked through the Homes by Avi dream home with his daughter and bought a tranche of tickets. Later, he walked by another booth and had that feeling again and bought more tickets. A third, and final time he did it again.
“Before this, I had never bought a lottery ticket in my life,” Letourneau said.
Letourneau said it was the second ticket purchase that won him the home.
He’ll be moving out of his current place near Chinook Centre to take up residence with his three kids in the southeast Calgary neighbourhood of Walden.
When he got the call that he was the winner, he was speechless.
“I couldn’t. Too many things going on in my head – it was just racing,” he said.
The Homes by Avi dream home
It’s a 2,523 square-foot, two-storey home on a corner lot in the Walden subdivision. It has three bedrooms, two full baths and two half-baths.
There’s also oodles of natural light pouring into the home. It comes furnished, too.
Along with the home, Letourneau pocketed $250,000, making the win worth more than $1.3 million, Stampede officials said.
“We’re thrilled for Derek and his family to live in this one-of-a-kind home where I’m sure they’ll create many wonderful memories throughout their lifetime,” said Charron Ungar, CEO, Homes by Avi Group of Companies.
Through this partnership, roughly $636,000 is part back into the community through the Rotary Club of Calgary at Stampede Park, the Kinsmen Club of Calgary and the Calgary Marching Showband Association.
“It is always an incredible feeling to be a part of a moment like this when someone wins a life-changing prize like the Rotary Dream Home,” said Richard Agnew, Chair, Calgary Stampede Lotteries Committee.
“Not only that, but because of the Stampede Lotteries, we’ll also be changing the lives of many in our community through the money we’ve been able to give to our charitable partners this year.”
Letourneau said he moved to Calgary from Victoria because it was more affordable than the west coast.
And now, thanks to the Stampede Lotteries Rotary Dream Home, things are a whole lot more affordable.