CARLETON PLACE – As the province braces for yet more restrictions due to the pandemic, the Carleton Place and District Memorial Hospital (CPDMH) Foundation and the Royal Canadian Legion, Capt. A. Roy Brown Branch 192 are taking their partnership to a new level with Carleton Place Catch the Ace online.

The two organizations partnered last year for their first kick at Catch the Ace with a municipal raffle license. The license included a limit to the number of tickets sold and involved in-person purchases and draws which, due to COVID-19 restrictions, needed to be suspended for several months. The weekly raffles resumed in July and the coveted Ace of Spades was caught when Chad Hastie’s ticket was pulled from the barrel at draw held live on Facebook on Oct. 22, 2020. Hastie and Leanne Hall were onsite immediately following the draw to receive their cheque for $24,996.

This week, the foundation and the Legion are thrilled to announce Carleton Place Catch the Ace is back and bigger than ever with a minimum guaranteed jackpot of $10,000.

“This new and improved Catch the Ace holds a provincial raffle license which means there is no cap on the number of tickets available for purchase; therefore, increasing participants’ chances of winning and the jackpot amount is limitless,” the foundation released in a statement. “Additionally, and in adapting to our ever-changing COVID-19 environment, moving the raffle online also means offering a touchless environment. Now, from the comfort of your home, you are able to purchase a ticket online and support the local causes you love.”

The partnership between the foundation and the Legion is not a new one. As a memorial hospital, built in memory and honour of local veterans, collaboration has existed between the two organizations from the beginning. CPDMH Foundation representatives are involved in the annual Remembrance Day Ceremony led by the local Legion; and through a strong history of partnership, the Legion Branch 192 has become a major donor to the CPDMH Foundation. It seemed like a natural fit for both parties to join together for this fundraising initiative.

The Catch the Ace raffle is a growing phenomenon among charities across the country. It is a progressive jackpot, multiple-draw, weekly raffle in which ticketholders have the chance to win a weekly prize and the progressive prize if you can catch the ace of spades. The odds of winning a weekly prize draw depend on the number of tickets in the draw. There is no limit to the number of tickets that can be sold. The odds of selecting the envelope containing the ace of spades begins at one in 52 and these odds improve with each weekly removal of envelopes containing a card other than the ace of spades.

The first round of Carleton Place Catch the Ace online began Jan. 14 with the first draw being held on Facebook Live at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 21. Tickets are only available online and can be purchased at CPCatchtheAce.ca.

Another benefit to taking this fundraising initiative online is the ability to offer bulk ticket sales. The following ticket bundles are available for purchase: three tickets for $10, 10 tickets for $20, 50 tickets for $50, and 100 tickets for $75.

“We were very happy with the success of our first Catch the Ace and our partnership with the foundation,” Legion president and foundation board director Peter Schaffer said. “As the weeks came and went with no winner, the suspense progressively became more intense. Having my new partner in crime, Ian Grant, here to share in the anticipation, along with members of both organizations, made it all that much better.”

“The foundation is very grateful for this opportunity to partner with our local Legion, once again, for Catch the Ace online,” foundation chair and Legion member Ian Grant said. “We are most appreciative to the Legion volunteers for all their hard work and dedication in the planning and execution of the first round of Catch the Ace. We are very excited to take this partnership to the next level which will benefit both organizations!”

“Building on our success, we are excited to be launching our Carleton Place Catch the Ace in an online platform,” foundation executive director Robyn Arseneau said. “Having Catch the Ace online brings with it many advantages including, during COVID, the ability to keep our ticket purchasers, board members and team of volunteers safe. As a registered charity, we are always striving to constantly adapt and evolve so that we can continue to raise the funds needed to support the growing communities we serve. We are thrilled for the opportunity to enhance our previous fundraiser and we can’t wait for our supporters to join us by visiting CPCatchtheAce.ca to get their tickets. It’s a win/win for everyone while we get to have a lot of fun.”