The Knifer’s weekly raffle is not just about winning; it connects young and old community members in Yellowknife.
That’s according to Linda Balsillie, vice-president of the The Knifer Cache Box Society.
One year ago, Yellowknife’s Seniors Society and the Scouts came together to form the fundraising group that hosts a weekly 50/50 draw.
It costs $2 an entry; the Seniors Society receive 25 per cent, Scouts receive 25 per cent and the winner of the draw takes 50 per cent of the total.
The pool has reached up to $3,600 and is usually around $1,000 every week. On Feb. 15, the draw is expected to be around $1,050.
But it’s more than just about the money. Balsillie told the Yellowknifer that it’s an activity to connect community members.
“I grew up next to my grandparents and I was enriched by having them around,” Balsillie told Yellowknifer. “There’s a lot of older people who don’t have grandchildren in town or grandchildren at all.”
Balsillie used to take her grandchildren to Lunch with a Bunch — the weekly social lunch at Baker Community Center.
She discovered the seniors and her grandchildren, very much enjoyed the interaction.
Tickets are for sale 11 locations in Yellowknife including Weaver and Devore, the Monkey Tree, and Williams Electronic, among other places.
Patrons are to place their toonie, along with a form with their personal information in the wooden boxes that the scouts made. “They’re shaped like a headframe from a mine because we want Yellowknife represented,” said Balsillie.
A pre-paid subscription is also available to those who want to enter every week at www.knifercachebox.ca.
The winner is drawn every Tuesday at 2 p.m. in the foyer of the Bakers Community Center. In previous years, the scouts have drawn out the winner from a large spinning barrel outside of the building in a colourful and jovial display.
It’s “a nice way to intermingle,” Balsillie said. “There’s a bonus in there for each generation. The money benefits the community and we plan to expand this draw to other areas so more people can receive.”