Meet the winners of the CHEO Dream of a Lifetime Lottery grand prize

The 2024 Minto Dream Home Peter Szperling brings us a first look inside this year's grand prize home in the CHEO Dream of a Lifetime Lottery.

Tracey Lavergne of Woodlawn, Ont. is starting off the new year with a new Minto Dream Home in Manotick, the grand prize in the CHEO Dream of a Lifetime Lottery.

The CHEO Foundation conducted the draw on Monday for the 2024 Dream of a Lifetime Lottery, featuring more than $5 million in prizes. There are 8,297 prizes to be won in the lottery.

Lavergne's ticket number 471007531 was picked as the winner for the grand prize. Meanwhile, Mary-Anne Harvey of Kanata wins $1.278 million in the CHEO Dream of a Lifetime Lottery 50/50 draw.

Lavergne wins the $3.3 million grand prize, the Minto Dream Home called the Oasis, located in the Manotick neighbourhood of Mahogany.

"There are no words whatsoever, I could not believe I won, I’m still on cloud nine," Lavergne said while getting a tour of her new home on Monday.

Lavergne currently lives with both her mother and brother. She is their primary caregiver with both experiencing health issues.

"CHEO has saved my brother's life not once but three times. They have looked after him with great care," she said.

According to the CHEO Dream of a Lifetime Lottery website, the 5,000 sq. ft. home includes three bedrooms and a third-floor loft, and the home features large windows "bathing the interior in natural light and offering stunning views of the private backyard."

"The design collaboration between Minto Communities and Minto's Karen van der Velden and Tanner Vine Interiors created the Oasis – a contemporary sanctuary inspired by the Belgian model farmhouse style," says the Dream of a Lifetime Lottery website. "There are spaces for the whole family to gather as well as options to enjoy private moments."

The home also includes an indoor golf simulator and a wellness spa, which includes a sauna, steam shower and a cold plunge.

The grand prize winner also receives a 2024 Mercedes-Benz EQB 300, $100,000 cash, 50 gas cards of $100 from W.O. Stinson & Son Ltd. and a $5,000 Farm Boy gift card.

The jackpot for the 50/50 draw reached a total of $2.557 million in the CHEO Dream of a Lifetime Lottery, with the winner receiving $1.278 million.

The CHEO Foundation says starting on Tuesday at 5 p.m., ticket holders can check online at www.dreamofalifetime.ca to see if they won a prize.

“We are grateful to our sponsors, trades and suppliers who have participated in making this lottery so successful once again,” Steve Read, President and CEO of the CHEO Foundation, said in a statement. “And most of all, we want to say thank you to our generous community. By purchasing tickets, you are directly making a difference in the lives of the children, youth and families who rely on CHEO.”

The CHEO Dream of a Lifetime Lottery supports patient care and research at CHEO, the CHEO Research Institute and Roger Neilson Children's Hospice.