Martensville KidSport Coordinator Angela Reddekopp (left) accepts the winning KidSport Playhouse raffle ticket from Helena Geortzen on Saturday, September 18 as Martensville A&W co-owner Brian Buffin looks on

Owen and Guylaine Green of Rosthern are the big winners in the KidSport Playhouse raffle draw held September 18 at Martensville A&W.

Helena Goertzen of Martensville, whose husband Marty Goertzen completed the construction of the playhouse earlier this year, drew the winning ticket at an event at the Martensville A&W. KidSport is a local charity that provides funds to help youth from low-income families participate in organized sports. The playhouse project was begun by Martensville High School students in 2019, but was left unfinished in the spring of 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic forced schools to close. Marty Goertzen stepped up in April, 2021 to complete the project.

This is the fifth edition of the KidSport Playhouse raffle, the single largest fundraising event for Martensville and Warman KidSport charities. This year’s raffle raised approximately $16,000, which represents a record amount, according to Reddekopp.

“It comes at a great time,” said Reddekopp. “We’re expecting this year we’ll see the highest number of applications ever because of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Reddekopp noted that an additional $1,025 was raised for KidSport by the A&W Restaurant in Martensville through individual donations and the sale of pails. The plastic pails that the restaurant’s supplies come in are cleaned and sold to the public for $1 each throughout the year, with the proceeds going directly to KidSport. The restaurant also has cans on its front counter where patrons can  deposit their spare change, with all proceeds going to KidSport.

(Back row, left to right) Helena Goertzen, Rachelle Buffin, Brian Buffin and Bernice Buffin, Martensville KidSport Coordinator Angie Reddekopp, and Warman KidSport Coordinator Coralie Bueckert.(Front row) Martensville and District Lions Club members Carol Conrad and Syl Serblowski devoted 480 hours to selling tickets

The winners in the draw included: Owen Green of Rosthern (Playhouse grand prize), Lester Morin of Debden ($500 Cabelas gift card), Lisa Brooke of Martensville (KidSport gift package).