A local woman has won $27,926.40 after 'Catching the Ace' at the Kenora Legion.
On Friday, the community was invited back to the Kenora Legion Branch 12 after two and a half years for the chance to win the progressive pot. Catch the Ace was put on hold after the world was rocked by the COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020.
The club room began to fill once the doors opened at 1:00 p.m., to guarantee a chance of purchasing tickets for the draw. Once the draw was made at 7:45 pm., it was Kenora's Linda Ponton's ticket pulled, which guaranteed her a percentage of ticket sales that night ($393.60) and the chance at choosing the Ace of Spades, which was hidden in one of four sealed envelopes.
The weekly game began with 52 cards.
Legion President Jason Lava invited Ponton up to choose her envelope, where she chose envelope #49. It was then that the crowd drum rolled in anticipation. Lava peeked into the envelope.
"Psst... Guess What?," he whispered as he revealed that Ponton in fact chose the Ace of Spades and won the progressive pot.
"I'm lost for words. I'm shaking and filled with tears. I've never won anything... ever. This will be just wonderful," said Ponton, a supporter of the Kenora Legion for over 30 years.
"I'm not positive what I'll do [with the money]. But we do need some new living room furniture. We have two sons, four grandchildren and one great grandchild who will probably see some of this," she added.
Congratulations, Linda!
See the live video of Linda and her big win!
Catch the Ace is expected to return in the new year, with a fresh start of 52 cards. Everyone is invited to participate - you do not need to be a Legion member.
The Kenora Legion holds a number of events aside from Catch the Ace - including ladies' dart nights, crib and euchre tournaments, meat draws and their well-known breakfast buffets. The next buffet will be tomorrow from 9-11 in the upstairs auditorium.
*Catch the Ace Lottery Licence #M810564