Former PL resident wins NIC Really BIG Raffle

Betty Atkins of Hauser might be moving to Post Falls soon, for she won last night’s grand prize at the Really BIG Raffle — a new house worth $285,000.

After living in Priest Lake for 34 years, Atkins now lives in an apartment her son built for her that’s attached to his garage. She’s not sure if she will move into her new house, but is happy she won.

When she first found out she won over the phone, she said “I now have a home.”

She said she didn’t like the looks of the house in the raffle last year, but this one she liked.

She told The Press that when she sent her ticket in, she looked at the photo of the house and thought ‘this is my home.’

A sea of about 2,500 people gathered at Cheamkwet Park at North Idaho College Wednesday night, nerves racing and spirits high. The 23rd annual Really BIG Raffle was underway and everyone was hoping they would win, if not a house, something.

All of the tickets sold out before May 31. Ticket holders had several chances to win one of several prizes which included a $2,000 shopping spree, a $3,500 vacation, a $10,000 boat, a $20,000 car or the grand prize of a $285,000 park-front house in Post Falls built by students in NIC’s carpentry and construction technology program.

The prizes, other than the house, can be used as prize money. Under Idaho law, the money cannot be given out as cash, but the winners don’t necessarily have to get a car or a boat. Last year, a winner used the money she won for a wedding. Unfortunately, the prize money can’t be used to pay off debt or loans, which is what Jack Gambill was hoping to use his $20,000 prize for.

When he got the call that he had won the second largest prize from the Really BIG Raffle, all he could say was “wow.”

Gambill has been buying tickets for more than 10 years. He has never won anything big before, but one year he did win a dollhouse. As a teacher at Eastern Washington University, he is passionate about helping students.

“That’s one of the ways I like to help students, is buying the tickets, it’s so amazing they’re doing that for scholarships,” he said.

Now, Gambill said he would have to think about what he’s going to do with the money.

Carlena Shove, 78, has lived in Coeur d’Alene almost her whole life. She has been buying tickets to the Really BIG Raffle since her son started going to NIC. She has never won anything, but her son, she said, buys two or three tickets every year and once won some movie tickets. Unfortunately, Shove didn’t win anything this year either.

“I love this community, I’ve been here all my life,” she said. “Whether we win or not, it’s for a good cause.”

The Really BIG Raffle is the biggest annual fundraiser for the NIC Foundation.

Every year, the NIC Foundation purchases an undeveloped lot where the NIC carpentry program builds a house as part of its curriculum.

In return, the Really BIG Raffle provides funding for the Learning Lab for the carpentry program.

Not only that, but it also provides scholarships and grants for students.

This year, the raffle brought in an estimated $250,000 of net proceeds.

“It is the happiest day of the year for the NIC Foundation and the carpentry program as we gave away nearly $325,000 in prizes tonight,” said Rayelle Anderson, executive director 0f the NIC Foundation. “I would like to thank our community for supporting North Idaho College and the North Idaho College Foundation through the Really BIG Raffle.”

Other big winners who were not present or available for comment following the event:

Second place $10,000 “boat” — Ralph Hostetlet, Spokane, with ticket No. 0954. Third place $3,500 “vacation package” — Peter Barnes, Post Falls, with ticket No. 2993. Fourth place $2,000 “shopping spree” — Teri Heinrich, Coeur d’Alene, with ticket No. 3243. The Early Bird Prize, $2,500 Costco Gift Card — Rose Knight, Rathdrum, with ticket No. 2027.