Early birds get the win
<p>The Ohalloran childern, Keagan (11) Keylin (8) and Adian (12) sit with their parents as they wait for the announcement of the winners of the Really Big Raffle on Wednesday evening at North Idaho College.</p>
<p> Dale Bunch waves his hand on Wednesday evening at North Idaho College, signifying that he has attended every Really Big Raffle. Bunch has not won a prize yet.</p>
<p> A couple hugs after they did not win any prizes at the Really Big Raffle on Wednesday evening at North Idaho College.</p>
<p> Rose Seable (9) sits with her father Steve as they listen to the winning numbers of the Really Big Raffle on Wednesday evening at North Idaho College.</p>
COEUR d'ALENE - For about 10 years, Margaret Polla has tried her luck in the North Idaho College Foundation's Really BIG Raffle.
This is her lucky year.
Polla is the winner of the $20,000 first-place car prize, the second-largest prize in the drawing. Her lucky ticket was No. 4593.
"I'm pretty excited. I haven't won anything ever, I don't think, in quite a while," said a joyful Polla, of Mullan, during a phone interview after the big event. "I'm in shock."
At least 2,500 hopeful ticket holders parked their beach blankets and lawn chairs on the grass of NIC's Cheamkwet Park on Wednesday evening to wait for their lucky numbers to be called in the 22nd annual Really BIG Raffle drawing.
"I'm going to win, I bought five tickets, so I have a better than one in 1,000 chance because I aligned myself with the energy," Wendy East of Coeur d'Alene said prior to the drawing. "I visualize. When I went to the house to visit it, I wondered why all these other people were walking through my house. I would be more surprised if I don't win than if I do."
All of the tickets sold out before May 31, making all tickets eligible to win early bird prizes for the first time in event history. Ticket holders had several chances to win their piece of the $335,000 in prizes, which included a $2,000 shopping spree, $3,500 vacation, $10,000 boat, $20,000 car or the grand prize of a $300,000 Mill River home built by students in NIC's carpentry and construction technology program. Other prizes such as an iPad Air, $50 gift card to Texas Roadhouse, a movie ticket package and $750 Costco gift card were also given away.
NIC communication instructor Ashley Duchow-Moore of Coeur d'Alene wasn't planning on winning the $10,000 boat prize, but she was pretty happy to hear that she did in the phone call following the raffle.
"That is exciting, thank you so much for that great news," she told NIC Foundation Executive Director Rayelle Anderson.
Duchow-Moore bought one ticket last year and "I didn't get lucky that time, but I guess I did this time," she said. "It's very exciting."
Her lucky ticket number was 1837.
The Really BIG Raffle is the biggest annual fundraiser for the NIC Foundation, which helps financially struggling students pay for school and achieve their academic goals. This year's raffle brought in $200,000 for the foundation.
"Support of this raffle fundraiser ensures the NIC Foundation's ability to strategically invest in student success and program opportunities," Anderson said. "Our raffle supporters directly change lives for the better with every ticket they purchase, and we are extremely grateful for their investment in NIC."
Other big winners who were not present or available for comment following the event:
Grand prize $300,000 house - Judy Felice, Liberty Lake, Wash., with ticket No. 3954.
Third place $3,500 vacation package - Roman Reyes, Emmett, Idaho with ticket No. 4079.
Fourth place $2,000 shopping spree - Carol Peterlin, Dunsmuir, Calif., with ticket No. 2717.