Charlottetown ringette league raises the stakes in this summer’s Island Big Dig

CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Prince Edward Islanders are being invited to dig up some treasure once more this summer season, however this time the stakes are a lot greater.

For the second 12 months in a row, the Charlottetown P.E.I. Smashers’ ringette league, comprised of 4 groups, is working its Island Massive Dig fundraiser on a farmer’s discipline on Royalty Junction Highway, within the north finish of the town, close to the airport.

At the least one fortunate individual will stroll away with $25,000 in money, up from final 12 months’s $10,000 payout. Made up of $100 payments, it’s buried in a plastic container.

Nevertheless, there’s rather more underneath the bottom, together with tokens and vouchers totalling greater than $300,000 in prizes.

Mark MacDonald, whose daughter, Haylee, performs on the senior ringette group, stated tons of of individuals confirmed up final 12 months to lease a shovel for an hour of digging.

“Final 12 months we began from nothing and tried to construct an occasion that the children (within the league) may very well be a part of and the group may very well be a part of,” MacDonald stated in an interview with SaltWire Community on July 13 on the website of the five-acre discipline the place the dig is going down.

“It was all about elevating funds that helped these youngsters with apply occasions and to journey off-Island to tournaments.”

Final 12 months’s dig raised greater than $10,000 for the league, which helped pay for the ringette groups to journey to Ottawa and Montreal this spring. One of many Charlottetown groups completed second within the Ottawa match.

Andrew Heggie, one other ringette father or mother, stated when the concept was hatched final 12 months the plan was to provide you with one thing the children might do safely in gentle of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’re at all times on the lookout for a fundraiser that features the kids. We don’t need them going door to door, essentially, promoting chocolate bars … on a regular basis, so it is a fundraiser that they will become involved with, be pleased with and take some possession of,” Heggie stated.

MacDonald stated all of it stretches past digging for a container stuffed with $100 payments underneath the bottom.

“The children get to fulfill folks locally and truly work together with them,” MacDonald stated. “Typically, additionally they should exit and get a little bit dust beneath their fingernails. They’re right here for each (dig) and so they’re doing the whole lot from handing out shovels to serving to fill in holes, no matter is critical.”

To date, 21 P.E.I. firms have signed on to sponsor $10,000 in prizes.

As well as, there are tons of of $100 reward playing cards which have been buried. Prizes vary from gas from Possible Fuels, reward playing cards and vouchers to companies comparable to ToyMaster and Crimson Rock.

Heggie stated there are additionally 360 tokens from final 12 months nonetheless underneath the bottom which could be redeemed without cost pizzas.

Must know

Following are some details concerning the Island Massive Dig in Charlottetown:

• $25,000 in money is buried in a farmer’s discipline on Royalty Junction Highway, simply previous Charlottetown Airport.
• Tokens are additionally buried that may be redeemed for greater than $300,000 in prizes.
• The price to lease a shovel for an hour’s digging is $25.
• Schedule and sign-up sheet out there online.
• Stroll-ins are welcome.
• Discover the Fb web page at Island Big Dig.

Haylee, 13, stated as a lot enjoyable as she and her pals had travelling to Ottawa and Montreal, it wasn’t the largest payoff for them.

“The perfect half for us was once we bought to name the man who gained $10,000 final 12 months,” Haylee stated.

Since nobody managed to search out the grand prize, the cash was dug up and everybody who had taken half within the dig had their title go right into a draw. Levi Barnes of Cornwall was the winner.

Heggie stated the fundraiser will proceed all summer season. If somebody is fortunate sufficient to search out the $25,000, he stated they’ll exchange it with one other $25,000.

“Come on out and get the cash,’’ Heggie stated, noting that the sphere is plowed over day by day.

Dave Stewart is a reporter with the SaltWire Community in Prince Edward Island. He could be reached by electronic mail at [email protected] and adopted on Twitter @DveStewart.