When former Premier of Saskatchewan Brad Wall calls, you pick up the phone. When he offers you a 1970 Dodge Charger RT completely rebuilt, you accept! That is exactly what Greg and Leone Ottenbreit from Yorkton did when Brad offered the car to support their fundraising efforts through the Brayden Ottenbreit Close Cuts for Cancer event.
Brad Wall and a team of Saskatchewan car enthusiasts and philanthropists partnered to build a custom car and decided to donate it to charity. Knight Automotive Group, with the help of Rawlco Radio, RBC, Flying W Consulting Inc., Great Western Brewing, and Broda Group, completed the 1970 Dodge Charger RT resto mod.
Realizing the value of this gift, the Ottenbreits reached out to the Foundation to see if we could work in partnership – and the Charity Charger Car Raffle and 50/50 were born!
Brayden Ottenbreit is the Driving Force behind this initiative
Along with the Ottenbreits and Dave Kerr from Knight Automotive, the Cancer Foundation team travelled around Saskatchewan selling raffle and 50/50 tickets. From Estevan to Prince Albert, Yorkton to Good Spirit Lake, we met many people who have been touched by cancer and were eager to help.
Four months of ticket sales resulted in over $566,000 to help enhance cancer care in Saskatchewan. Proceeds from the raffle are supporting research, patient care and comfort items, and more. Some of the patient supports include:
• Refreshments for patients and caregivers while spending hours in the Cancer Centre.
• Cable, internet, and newspapers for patients staying at the Regina Cancer Patient Lodge.
• Christmas hampers and gift cards for families facing financial need to help create holiday magic.
• Patient Parking: Help pay parking fees at the Cancer Centres for families facing financial need.
• Cancer Research: Dr. VJ Kundapur, a radiation oncologist at the Saskatoon Cancer Centre, is undertaking a two-year study on mini-radiation beam therapy, specific for patients with liver cancer.
• And more!
“I was hoping against hope that we could break the $200,000 mark with the raffle approach,” said former Premier Wall. “I had no experience that would inform such an expectation – I just thought the ticket sales approach could perhaps get us to that level. These numbers are just remarkable and behind them are untold volunteer hours, a great Foundation, generous donations, and talented car builders. Thanks so much to all who bought tickets for the car and the 50/50!”
On August 20th, 2023, the winning tickets were drawn at Rawlco’s Rock 102 Show ‘n Shine in Saskatoon. Brian Trebish of Yorkton took home half of the 50/50 jackpot of $112,320, and Joey Holtorf of Neuanlage, SK, became the proud new owner of the 1970 Dodge Charger RT resto mod!
Thank you to everyone who purchased a ticket for the Charity Charger Car Raffle and 50/50!
