Really BIG winners Ken and Kenny win again
<p>Don McManis sits with his wife Liz and reads his raffle number as tickets are drawn during the Really Big Raffle Wednesday night at North Idaho College where entrants had the chance to win a brand new home built by NIC's construction program students.</p>
<p>At the North Idaho College Really Big Raffle Wednesday night, Len Newton wants in anticipations with his wife Dawn, left, and daughter Jessica, in the minutes before raffle tickets are drawn.</p>
COEUR d'ALENE - Ken Kiehn and Wayne Kenny are on a lucky winning streak.
The friends from Nine Mile Falls, Wash., won the grand prize in North Idaho College's Really BIG Raffle - a $255,000 house.
Ken and his wife, Cheryl, both 63, received the news via phone call after the raffle Wednesday evening. At first, Ken thought it was a joke because friends called him a few years ago pranking him with a similar tale. But once NIC Foundation Executive Director Rayelle Anderson explained that they were in fact winners, the shrieking ensued.
"Are you kidding me? We never win anything!" Cheryl exclaimed.
The Kiehns were not alone in their victory. Ken and his friend Wayne Kenny invested in two of the $100 raffle tickets together. They won money in a football pool, followed by a $250 Super Bowl win earlier this year. They decided to take that money and try their luck in the Really BIG Raffle, using Kenny's "lucky" name on the entries in each contest.
Kenny's name proved, once again, to be charmed.
"This is so funny because we've been winning these drawings," Ken said. "The last Super Bowl thing, we said, 'Well I know what we're going to get, because I've been playing it for years, this house in Coeur d'Alene,' so we bought two tickets." Ken has played the Really BIG Raffle for six years. "I cannot believe it," he added.
Wayne and his wife, Debbie, 63, received the news shortly after the Kiehns. And once again, screams of excitement poured through the phone line.
The house the Kiehns and Kennys won was built by students in NIC's carpentry program, instructed by David McRae. It is a project that is backed by the NIC Foundation, and this year more than 30 sponsors and partners in the community contributed to its completion. This was the Really BIG Raffle's 20th anniversary, and through the years more than $5 million in prizes have gone out to ticket holders and event attendees. Money from the tickets goes into scholarships, grants and various college program needs.
The next major prize was the $20,000 car prize, which went to George and Joan Wilson, of Coeur d'Alene. They also were not physically present to receive their good news, but they did answer their phone.
"Well that sounds great," George said after Anderson told him he won. His wife, Joan, was right beside him.
"It's a good thing I'm sitting down," Joan said. "I'm shaking."
Joan, 79, managed NIC's bookstore for 20 years while George, 79, is retired from the U.S. Forest Service. They've been married for nine years.
The $10,000 boat prize was awarded to James and Jackie Peters, both 75, of Post Falls. The retired couple bought their ticket online.
"I haven't had good news like this in my whole life," James said.
More than 2,000 people arrived at Cheamkwet Park on the NIC campus to try their luck and support NIC students. McRae's band Sidetrack played music for the eager crowd. Prizes included a $2,000 shopping spree, a 55-inch TV, a custom-made smoker/barbecue, $500 in cash, an XBox and other "early bird" and door prizes.
Dean Hayman and Sandra Jobes, of Spirit Lake, were all smiles after the number on their raffle ticket was announced. They won the $500.
"Actually about seven years ago, I won $500," Jobes said. They said they might use the money to go out to dinner, or something more exciting.
The Really BIG Raffle sold out all 5,000 of its available tickets, keeping up its 20-year trend.
For those who may not have walked away with prizes this time, there is always next year.