Sudbury man wins Dream Home (2 photos)

As has become a tradition, more than 100 people crowded into a home in the Moonglo subdivision Jan. 27 — some even spilling out into the garage — to find out who had won the Dream Home Draw.

This year, first prize went to John Malette of Sudbury, who was not personally on hand for the draw.

He not only won the three-bedroom home where the draw was held, but also a 2015 Toyota Corolla CE from Laking Toyota, furnishings by Spencer Furniture, Appliances by Bianco's Supercenter and a home security system from True Steel Security.

The grand prize is valued at $561,115. Should Malette not wish to move into the home, which was built by Ken the Builder, he has the option of taking $360,000 in cash, plus the car and furnishings.

Thirteen other prizes, ranging from a Vespa scooter to thousands of dollars in gift cards to local businesses, were also handed out in the lottery.

The draw is a fundraiser for the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association's Sudbury branch. More than 66,000 tickets were sold at $20 each, raising about $400,000 for the organization.

Kim Scott, the hearing association's executive director, said the Dream Home Draw, now in its 14th year, is a crucial fundraiser for her agency.

“A lot of people don't know this, but when we started the dream home all those years ago, we were a very small organization,” she said.

“We didn't even have $1,000 a year in terms of fundraising ... Because of this, we've been able to hire trained staff and provide numerous programs and services that otherwise were not available.”

Among these services are a hearing aid fund, assistive listening devices library, student bursaries and presentations and awareness workshops.

Scott said the organization is already gearing up for 2016's Dream Home Draw, which will happen at this time next year.

She said a plot of land in the Moonglo subdivision has already been purchased and the plans drawn up. Tickets go on sale in mid-October.

Learn more about the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association's Sudbury branch at www.chhasudbury.com.

And the winners are ...

John Malette — Grand prize (furnished home and 2015 Toyota Corolla)
Cheri Bouffard – Vespa LX V150 (worth $7,834)
Melanie Silver - $2,000 Metro gift card
Bernice Dellaire - $1,000 Wal Mart gift card
Mary Ann Corbiere - $1,000 Wal Mart gift card
Deborah Kilbride - $1,000 Wal Mart gift card
Darryl Pitfield - $1,000 Wal Mart gift card
Lois Pine - $1,000 Metro gift card
Victor L. Seguin - $1,000 Metro gift card
David Soehner - $1,000 Metro gift card
Kim MacDonald - $500 Home Hardware gift card
Jamie Lyn Proulx - $500 Home Hardware gift card
Madeleine Lemiere - $500 Home Hardware gift card
Jarmo Hytti - $500 Home Hardware gift card