22 - North Shore News ~ Wednesday, M. farcn Occasionai lottery flutter buys rich dreams From page 15 draw that Bonnie just bap- pened io drop inte the focal corer store to buy some peanuts while ona break trom work. She came acress the lortery ticket in her wal- let and asked the gal behind the counter to check it for her. {t happened te be the owner of the store, snd when she checked the ucket and found thar Bonnic was a winner she got so excited that she couldn't find the English words to congratu- fate hee. Bonnie sensed she hast won something, but she fig- ured it might be $500, Not sterec CD & much mere. Was $32,085. 2.2 litre 4 | 2000 Pontiac Sunfir ena, 115 1LP. waging, 4 contol 800 stereo cassatis, ASS, dual «ir bags & W much more. Was $18,105. Sti 20176 188 or 1. cat 36 mo. law km lease. $2,430 i OP + istisecurity & taxes OAC ine © 200 HP © 4 wheel disc biaking system, chrome ite & bumper, am/lm stereo, tilt wheel, rential. automatic atic headlights & much iS $24, 5 E1298 or 2.9% R725 mo. low km lease. $1 5 DP « tsUsecurity & taxes OAC or °21,188 sande spoiler and much word. We per. Stel 20216 248 oF 2. 9% 36 mo. lew km tease. OP ¢ tst/securty & ah ‘te or °21 948 2000 Pontiac Montana 3.4 Litre V6 185HP engine, 4 speed 2utematic transmission, 4 wheel anti-lock braking system, sion, ecg er cepts | lows, dua! s jonr, pint aes, tilt much more. Was Purchase finance 36 mo. low km lease. $4,825 OP + ist/security & taxes OAC 248’ or 1.9% or 25,488 yet ih bad, she Ryzured, feeling pretty ducky. A guy who worked at the liquor store and who was standing right dehind Bonnie seemed to understand that it was $500,000, and when he cold her how big her prize was, Bonnie burst into tears. She says she was in shock, and [ can believe that. She ran back to work, erving all the way and strug- gling to grasp what had hap- pened. When she was led into the litte office at Safeway by her co-workers and told to call her husband, she couldn’. You see, Bonnie's bus- band Roger is a construction guy. He was working on an 99 Cadillac Catera & Brand new, German-bullt and engineered, & pass. sport and luxury sedan. Features 200 H.P. 3.0 Litre V6 engine. pwr. sunroof, etectronic climate control A/C, front & rear heated seats, feather int., chrome wheels, AM/FM cass/€.0, duai p/seats, p/grovp, tilt, cruise, all tuxury entions. Was $49,890. » ~~ i) now *4.2,900 2000 Buick Century 3.1 Litre V6 dual zone, tilt, 2090 ext. & int. Murchase more. mre Was $08,228 36 mo. low km lease. inane” waezeil el Edition Sey Ka 7 2000 GMC Ji 4X4, Vortec 4300 VG, 190HP enginé, : rai som ena 4 wheel anti-lock raking system, remote keyless, ot amenicD, teckin Siferential £ much BAS at condition § crise, oe nels pentay & much more. ies $27 055 Soa Stk# 20221 297 or 4.9% 36 mo. tows km ease. 33, {gop + Istsecurity & taxes OAC r 20,988 "irons Cash wd price 4dr afc, pswer p titwheel, cruise Kor] 378 or 1.9% 34,865 OP ¢ 'st/security & taxes OAC oF 34 068 Cash purchase price outdoor site and they don’t own a cellphone. Not only that, she could’: call home to Bowen Island, because she hadn’t paid her phone bill and her phone service had been cut off. Ronnie finally gota ride up to the site Roger was working on and later thar day when they drove out to Richmond to claim their prize she still couldn't believe her good luck. Instead she worried about bad tuck. She warried she would have to answer a skill testing question or something, and she was so excited that she thought for suce she'd blow it. Happily that’s not what happened. Bonnie claimed her prize moncy the next day. She and Roger prompt- ly cleaned up their phone bill, their mortgage. and a few other debts. Then Bonnie helped her mother buy a retirement home in Penticton. “She always wanted a place with a garden” Bonnie told me from her check stand, stuffing my half-eaten Cheezies into a grocery bag. When I asked her what else she did with her prize money, she confessed to buying lunch for all her co- workers, a television and VCR (the old ones hadn't been working for a while) and really splurging on a brand new toilet for her house. Apparently Bonnie's not into the fancy stuff. So has winning the lot- tery changed Bonnie's lite? “I suppose it has,” Bonnie confesses a lite guiltily. She says that she and Roger are much more relaxed around the begin- ning of the month. That's when their mortgage pay- ment used to be due. And they've almost finished their Bowen Island home. But you can still find Bonnie smiling behind her check stand at Safeway, telling her story to whoever asks about it. You're probably wonder- ing why I am telling you this story. It’s simple. It's because it’s a happy one. Because Bonnie’s the kind of gal that you like to see win a lottery, and because she lives right in our com- munity, and she won, she makes winning the lottery possible for all of us. 1 buy the occasional lot- tery ticket. I don’t fei ihe expense is wasted, oc that the government is banking on my ignorance. [ know it’s an incredible long shot. But owning a lottery ticket enables me to dream just a little. And knowing Bonnic Lake won $500,000 more than makes up for all the tickets I’ve bought and never won with. —shannonn@telus.net Environmentalisis to be recognized THE search is on for British Columbians whose contributions - to a healthy environ- ment deserve recogni- tion, Environment, Lands and Parks Minister Joan Sawicki announced recently. Excellence in Stewardship has been added to the awards program this year. The initiative is meant to reward those who vojuntarily work to protect biodiversity on private land or in their local watershed. Awards are handed out in each of the following cate- gories: B excellence in stewardship; B community or non-profit organization; 8 individual citizen; business or industry; E& youth; § environmental education; @ Jocal government, @ communications or media. “This is the 19th year for the Environmental Awards program, and I’m _ flocking forward to my first time pre- senting them,” said Sawicki. “There are many individ- uals and groups across this province whe make a special effort to ensure a clean and healthy environment for our- selves and future genera- tions. “The purpose of these awards is to recognize those British Columbians who have worked hard to protect our environment.” Those wishing to nomi- nate an individual or organi- zation for a 2600 Minister’s Environmental Award. have until April 7 to submit a nomination form. The recipients of this year’s awards will be announced during Environment Week (June 4- 10) and will be honoured at a dinner at Government House hosted by Lt.-Gov. Garde Gardom and Sawicki. Nominaii::: forms for the awards are available at all British Columbia Environment regional offices or by contacting the Ministry of Environment, ands and Parks at (250) 387-9422. Nominations can also be submitted through the lands and parks ministry Web site on the Internet by clicking at . Thank You Canadian Blood Services expresses heartfelt thanks to the 147 donors who gave the Gift of Life at Lions Gate Hospital on December 29, 1999. Those 147 individuals whd took time from busy holiday schedules to visii the blood donor dinic helped us keep the blood supply 21 safe levels over the New Year holiday period. The need for blood never stops and 300 units are required per day to meet the needs of patients in British Columbia, Anyone wishing 10 donate can contact 879-6001 for more information or come to the blood donor clinic at REF Lions Gate Hospital on one of the following dates: y WEDKESDAY MARCH 8 AND 22 a WEDNESDAY APRIL 5 AND 19