North Idaho College grad wins Really BIG Raffle house

Megan Howard of Coeur d’Alene won the grand prize Wednesday evening in the North Idaho College Foundation’s Really BIG Raffle — a newly constructed house appraised at $630,000.

“I’m mostly in shock and I’m very grateful,” Howard said when speaking with foundation officials after the drawing.

“I’ve been going to NIC for a couple years now, and I just wanted to give back to the foundation for how it’s helped me," said Howard, who graduated from NIC's Early Childhood Development program and is currently enrolled in a summer course.

The winning ticket for the new Coeur d’Alene home was pulled during a drawing that was livestreamed online. This was the 31st anniversary of the Really BIG Raffle fundraiser, and the 31st consecutive ticket sellout.

NIC's own Vicki Isakson, the dean of instruction for workforce education, won the first-place prize of a new Ford Bronco Sport.

“I had a million messages on my phone, so when I saw the news I felt complete disbelief,” Isakson said in a Wednesday night news release following the event.

“I had been joking about winning that thing for a while so I couldn’t believe I actually won it," she said. "I haven’t had a new car in a really long time, so now I’m just scheming what I can do with it.” 

This year’s raffle was supported by title sponsors Greenstone Homes and Idaho Forest Group along with five additional sponsors whose support, coupled with the investments of faithful raffle ticket buyers, directly enhance the NIC Foundation’s commitment to elevating student success and educational excellence throughout NIC.

“The continued success of the Really BIG Raffle is a reflection of generous individuals investing in the dreams of students,” NIC Foundation Executive Director Rayelle Anderson said in the news release. “We are truly grateful to every ticket buyer, sponsor, volunteer and ticket outlet for their unwavering support.”

More than $667,000 in prizes were awarded, including the new Coeur d’Alene home. This year’s winners were:

Grand prize $630,000 house — Megan Howard, Coeur d’Alene, ticket No. 2281

First place $32,000 2024 Ford Bronco Sport — Vicki Isakson, Coeur d’Alene, ticket No. 0085

Second place $2,000 home furnishings gift card — Tom Lazerus, Murrieta, Calif., ticket No. 3902

Third place Traeger Pro Smoker and meat package $1,500 value — Tosha Brown, Hauser, ticket No. 2120

All ticket holders that purchased tickets by the April 30, 2024, early bird deadline qualified for two additional prizes — two separate Costco gift cards valued at $1,000 each. The winners of the gift cards were Violet Gradin of Kellogg and Tyler Lockwood of Rathdrum.

The 32nd annual Really BIG Raffle is scheduled for July 9, 2025. Tickets are available now. Visit nic.edu/rbr for information.