By Cecilia Nasmith

Cobourg

Northumberland Hills Hospital Foundation invites you to try your luck in the New Year with their Catch The Ace progressive lottery fundraiser – the minimum Progressive Jackpot has reached the $8,000 milestone.

This initiative includes weekly draws, where the winner gets the opportunity to draw a card from the deck. At some point, someone will draw the ace of spades and it's winner-take-all – but until then, weekly winners get a consolation prize as well.

And as long as the ace of spades has not been drawn, the pot grows each week. From each ticket sale, 50 percent of the value goes to the foundation, 30 percent to the prize pot and 20percent to the consolation-prize winner.

This kind of lottery has been a proven fundraiser for such causes as Legions and sports associations in the Maritimes, with prize pots having occasionally surpassed the million-dollar mark.

The foundation hopes you'll give it a try in the New Year, with the first weekly draw on Jan. 2.

You can buy your ticket in person at the foundation office, located just inside the main NHH entrance (open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) or on-line at www.nhhcatchtheace.ca