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'Overwhelming' demand for Kamloops Y Dream Home tickets, according to YMCA representatives

Y Dream Home sold out

UPDATED: 2:24 p.m.

The Kamloops Y Dream Home Lottery has sold out in a record-setting two days.

Organizers announced on social media that all tickets had been sold as of Thursday afternoon.

"This is truly incredible, we have never before experienced this kind of response to the Dream Home Lottery, and we sincerely cannot thank you enough for your support," read a post Thursday on the lottery's Facebook page.

"The Kamloops Y relies on this lottery to fund our programs and services, and your community thanks you for your kindness and generosity."


ORIGINAL STORY: 12:04 p.m.

Tickets for the Kamloops Y Dream Home Lottery are nearly sold out, mere days after sales opened, according to the marketing representative for the lottery.

Bryce Herman, spokesman for the fundraiser, said this is the 25th dream home he’s given away, and seeing this kind of community support has been “emotionally overwhelming.”

“It looks as though we’re going to sell this out today,” Herman said.

“Whoever would imagine that you would sell 88,000 50/50 tickets and 18,000 dream home tickets in two and a half days.”

Ticket sales for the Y Dream Home Lottery opened Monday at 9 a.m. Herman said they had added more value packs of five tickets for $400 to this year’s lottery, which ended up being sold within the first five minutes.

“This is just overwhelming to me, and to all of us on the team. In a million years we never expected it to go like this,” Herman said.

Colin Reid, Kamloops YMCA’s CEO, said they will beat their record from last year, when they sold out of tickets in a 14 or 15 day time frame.

Reid said the unprecedented interest in ticket sales caused the online site to be temporarily suspended, as 5,000 people went to purchase tickets right as sales opened.

According to Reid, because there were some delays in processing, there were some ticket order errors that are being worked through one at a time.

“We are doing our very best to try and make this as positive an experience as possible. We ask for people’s patience as we get caught up, and will be correcting all the errors in the proper manner,” Reid said.

“It’s an unbelievable community project, and we’re humbled by the support the community gave us.”

The 3-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom open-concept home is located in Westsyde, at 2575 Elston Dr. The 2802-square-foot residence is valued at $719,100.

The Y Dream Home is built each year as a partnership between the Canadian Homebuilders Association and TRU trades students, who gain valuable work experience as they construct the house.

The Y purchases the home from the homebuilder's association at a discounted rate, and out of those funds, bursaries and scholarships are set up for TRU trades and technology students.

Money raised from lottery ticket sales help fund the Y’s programs.

“We turn around and we convert that into charitable dollars for our community by running this lottery,” Herman said.

“This ends up being a win-win-win.”

Although the 6,800 five-for-$400 tickets have sold out, the Kamloops Y is also selling 11,200 one-for-$100 tickets, as well as tickets for the 50/50 draw.

The prize draw will be live streamed, and will take place on June 30, 2021.



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