By Sheldon Spackman

The annual lottery that helps keep Alberta’s fleet of air ambulances in the sky is hovering in dangerous territory in 2017.   Officials with STARS Lottery are hoping for a little emergency help themselves.  Ticket sales to this point in the STARS Lottery are slower than they’ve ever been.

According to Stars President and CEO Andrea Robertson, as of February 15th tickets for the lottery are only 65 percent sold. That compares with 87 percent at the same time in 2015.  This is very unsettling because the STARS Lottery typically covers one-third of their annual operating costs.  A sold out lottery would result in about $11 million in revenue, roughly the cost of running one of Alberta’s three STARS bases for one year.   Those bases being in Calgary, Edmonton and Grande Prairie.

Red Deer was the most visited location by STARS in 2016, logging in 80 visits.  Central Albertans have benefitted like no other area in both the number of flights and through the ability of STARS to get to remote locations and natural areas as in the case of former patient, Lorinda Bye.

Alberta’s STARS Lottery has sold-out for 23 straight years, but this year the pressure is on as never before.

STARS officials are doing what they can to make it easier for people to buy tickets.  They’re reducing the number of multi-ticket packages, offering up more $25 tickets.

This year’s lottery features 3,145 prizes worth more than $4.9 million, including four Dream Homes;  one each in Calgary, Edmonton, Lethbridge and Red Deer. The Red Deer Dream Home is at 22 Lindman Avenue in the Laredo neighbourhood and valued at more than $870,000.

The Early Bird cut-off is on March 1st, with the Early Bird draw on March 17th. The Early Bird prize is a 2017 Ram 2500 Crew Cab 4×4 and 2017 Arctic Fox 28F Travel Trailer package worth $128,000. There are also six other vehicles to be won, 24 fantastic vacations, a $50,000 cash prize and numerous others as well.

The final ticket deadline is March 22nd, while the Lucky Stars 50/50 Draw is on April 10th. The Final Draw April 13th.

You can buy your ticket here:

http://www.starslotteryalberta.ca/index.php