Big 50/50 Winner: Brigid Coult

The winner of the RAPS 50/50 raffle is Brigid Coult! The draw was scrupulously random, of course, but we cannot hide our joy that the enormous jackpot went to one of our favourite humans!

Brigid has been volunteering for RAPS for more than a dozen years. If you see pictures of the cats at the Sanctuary, chances are she took them. When you read the insightful, witty, character-filled blog posts about Sanctuary residents (see this week’s about the snarky cat, Muffin), they are written by Brigid.

“It took me totally by surprise,” she said of the win. The 50/50 pot exceeded $50,000, with Brigid walking away with half. “When I buy raffle tickets, it’s always the intention of a donation to the cause, rather than what a raffle ticket might do. It’s a donation without the tax receipt. I didn’t even think about the draw date until my phone started blowing up. I was in the middle of a conference and had to weasel myself out of it to answer the phone call. Very exciting!”

A few days later, she was still in a state of disbelief. She has occasionally won a bottle of wine or other comparatively small prizes in charity raffles or contest. But $26,447.50 is more than a bottle of wine.

“Something like this was just mind blowing,” she says.

The timing is good, too.

“The big thing that’s ahead of me at the moment is that I will be retiring from my significant job,” Brigid says. “I actually do three jobs. I’ve got a part-time job as a church musician and then I do contract work for a couple of other musical organizations. I’m retiring from my church job next summer. Until that happens, I can’t get away, but I’m really looking forward to a holiday after that.”

Heading back to England to see family is top of the list – and this time she might splurge and move up front from the economy cabin!

“There’s all sorts of possibilities,” she says.

Congratulations Brigid – and thank you for all you do for the animals! We’re not hiding the fact that we’re over the moon that you are the winner!