Beyond the Win: How Stampede Lotteries Fuel Dreams & Change

For more than 70 years, the Calgary Stampede Lotteries has delivered life-changing prizes while giving back to the community by funding local charities and reinvesting in the community through the Calgary Stampede and their service partners: Kinsmen Club of Calgary, Rotary Club of Calgary at Stampede Park and the Calgary Marching Show Band Association.

Each year, thousands of Stampede visitors buy tickets with dreams of winning big. In 2025, more than $2.3 million in prizes are up for grabs across 34 draws, including the Rotary Dream Home, Kinsmen Million and Stampede Millions 50/50.

For Gwyn Lewis, 2023 turned this dream into reality when he was chosen in the Early Bird Prize draw, winning a 2023 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X and $25,000 in cash.

“I missed the original call, and when my voicemail read the message to me, it sounded like a scam at first,” he laughs. “But when I realized it was real, I was ecstatic.”

For Lewis and his fiancée, the prize couldn't have come at a better time. Amid home renovations, considering retiring his aging vehicle, and planning for an upcoming wedding, the new truck quickly became more than a prize and has now become a part of his daily life.

“We love taking [the truck] on road trips with the dog in the back and loading the cab with ski gear for the mountains,” says Lewis. "Managing things was much more challenging before, but this truck has not only assisted us with renovations, it has also enabled me to help various friends and family members move."

Beyond the big wins, the Stampede Lotteries also help drive meaningful change for local organizations, making a difference year-round. One such recipient is the Silver Linings Foundation, which recently opened Alberta's first long-term live-in treatment centre for eating disorders.

“The funding gave our project credibility and accelerated our fundraising,” says Brad Pierce, a founding member. “It validated our mission and helped attract the attention of other donors. Without the support of the Rotary, we wouldn't have raised $4 million in 12 months."

Now open in Calgary’s Renfrew neighbourhood, the facility provides critical care for up to 12 youth, ages 12 to 24, addressing a critical gap in Alberta’s mental health system.

Whether it’s a truck with the license plate “GWYNING” or a youth in recovery, the impact of a Stampede Lotteries ticket extends far beyond the draw.

"Buying a ticket might feel like a small gesture, but it's part of something much bigger," says Lewis. "I purchase a ticket every year because it supports a good cause with charities that depend on it, and with the potential bonus of a prize, it doesn't hurt to have your name in the hat."