Raffle for Rivers Train Station roof repairs

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Published on Saturday, July 4, 2015

By Sheila Runions 

Banner Staff

Rivers Train Station Restoration Project was given an excellent prize package from Via Rail. In essence that company gave the committee a $4,000 donation — a voucher for a round-trip trip for two to Toronto or Vancouver.

The committee raffled this voucher and sold 510 tickets in some six months. The winning stub was pulled from a draw drum at the stationette by Rivers Police Service chief Bruce Klassen. On Thursday afternoon, June 11, Jan Shaw of Cardale was notified she had won the prize package; she and husband Harvey have a year to decide which city they will visit. The Shaws will travel from Rivers in a Sleeper Plus class which includes all meals and a sleeping cabin.

While the raffle grossed more than $10,000, there were expenses such as printing of the tickets and advertising, but overall this was a significant fundraiser for the committee, which will use the profits to replace the roof of the train station. The committee has a goal to have the station restored as the country’s first green station (eco-friendly) by 2017, the 100th anniversary of the station. The restoration was been promoted as green because the committee plans to use the most energy efficient technologies possible to restore the building, including recycling what is there, such as repainting the brick exterior.