Vernon's O'Keefe Ranch wins $50K first prize

Ranch cinches $50K

Photo: The Next Great Save

Historic photo of O'Keefe Ranch Mansion.

UPDATE 1:43 p.m.

Vernon's O'Keefe Ranch will be getting a $50,000 boost.

The Ranch has officially won The Next Great Save contest by garnering the most public votes.

First prize is awarded $50,000 which the ranch has said will go towards making repairs for the O'Keefe mansion.

ORIGINAL 4 a.m.

Voting for The Next Great Save contest closes in just a few hours – and a Vernon landmark is currently leading the pack.

The O’Keefe Ranch mansion is currently in first place with more than 24,000 votes, but the ranch is looking for one last boost before voting closes at 10 a.m. today.

The ranch has been campaigning hard to get needed votes, hosting a rally on Saturday and taking to social media to encourage voting – a call the community has clearly answered.

The top prize of the contest is $50,000, second place will receive $10,000 and third place $5,000.

If the ranch ends up winning, officials plan to use the money to make repairs around the mansion. Some fixes include adding drainage around a caretaker's house, updating wiring and repairing the chimney.

The Next Great Save’s title sponsor and charity host The National Trust for Canada and Ecclesiastical Insurance will announce the winners sometime today.

Anyone wanting to vote for the Vernon ranch in the final hours of the competition can do so online.