The Fundraiser That Saw Everyone Win

Wednesday, February 16, 2011 03:58 AM

Prince George, B.C. - It's hard to say who's the biggest winner following a local fundraiser for the Canadian Cancer Society's planned Northern Lodge - a 'home away from home' for cancer patients who need to travel and stay in Prince George for cancer treatment.

Wood Wheaton SuperCentre organized the lottery this past fall, selling 100 tickets at $1,000 each, with a $25-thousand dollar grand prize. Spokesperson Tom Sentes says the intent was for all the money raised to go towards the Northern Lodge, he says no one realized this week's grand prize would be donated back, as well.

NDI Environmental Dynamics Inc.'s, Bob Redden, bought the winning ticket back in November. He says he had big plans for the winnings at that time and now he's able to make good on them. "EDI is going to donate back $15-thousand dollars towards the cancer lodge and the remaining $10-thousand, we're going to leave it to Jennifer Yarmish - who's a recent cancer survivor - to sort out how she wants to use it because she's in a unique position that she's seen all the pitfalls of picking up a family and having to leave Prince George for cancer treatment, so she's going to know how to use the money more effectively than I am."

Jennifer is the wife of one of EDI's key employees, Jason Yarmish. "My wife was diagnosed with cervical cancer while she was in labour with our third child, and so we had a brand new baby (and) a wife with cancer," says Yarmish. The family first went to Vancouver's Cancer Centre where Jennifer underwent surgery, and then had to re-locate to Kelowna for two months of cancer treatment.

"At that time, we had a brand new baby, a one-and-a-half year old and a three-year-old, so it was quite the trip," says Yarmish. "But we got through it - the support of the cancer agencies in Vancouver and Kelowna was phenomenal - I can't say enough about them and EDI was extremely supportive as an employer."

Yarmish says he has a true appreciation for the Northern Lodge, because it will keep people closer to home. He says his wife hasn't yet decided just how she'll donate her $10-thousand dollar share of the winnings, but it's all going back to the local cancer agency.

"She's already set up, as of next week, to start getting oriented to the Cancer Centre's volunteer program and I think she's probably going to go fishing for ideas. And we've talked about maybe even using that money to leverage other sources."

He adds, "I can't tell you how excited she is about the prospect of doing one of any unknown things with that money to help some people."

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