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Brookfield Elks Sports Draw celebrates 80 years

Brookfield Elks Sports Draw celebrates 80 years

Mike Henderson, the president of the Brookfield Athletics Association, says he "probably can't prove it" but he believes the Brookfield Elks Sports Draw is the oldest of its kind in Nova Scotia.

"I don't even know of any other lotteries or raffles that have been going on 80 years continuously. It's very important to us. It's quite well known throughout mainland Nova Scotia," said Henderson.

The fundraiser, which is celebrating its 80th anniversary, works by buying a raffle ticket that is put in a draw for prizes and also qualifies the ticket holder to enter the hunting competition.

Henderson said the raffle and contest are used for a number of sports and recreation programs in the Brookfield and south Colchester area.

Contest with history

"Whether it be organizing teams, providing equipment, coaching, facilities, whatever ... kids of both genders. And not just kids. We do adult stuff too, but it's mostly for kids," said Henderson.

The Brookfield Elks name has been quite well known in the area from the 1950s onward. Henderson said their senior men's team was the first to win the Eastern Canadian softball championships. And there are five people from the village in Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame, he said.

"There's quite a story of athletic history here. It dates from 1936. The Brookfield Elks Sports Draw is its current name. For years it was known as the Brookfield Elks Big Game Hunt. We've toned it down a little bit," said Henderson.

"We do some selling of tickets in malls and things like that but some people were abhorred by the thought of actually shooting a deer."

'Bragging dibs'

While Henderson couldn't recall what some of the prizes were from the early days, he said it was more hunt oriented in the past.

"It was a hunting contest originally. Sort of a who gets bragging dibs for the year. And it was quite localized. It probably didn't exceed much beyond Colchester County," he said.

Henderson said his father helped found the association. He remembers folding tickets as a young boy and believes the contest has lasted so long because of its value.

"The prizes are extensive for only a $10 ticket. I also like to think the integrity of the organization in the sense we strive on the hunting side of it to make sure it's as fair a contest from the weighing and measuring end of it," he said.

Hunting is still a major part of the contest. There is a set of cash prizes for hunters with the heaviest buck and doe, the widest spread, bowhunting, most points and longest antlers.

Primary fundraiser

Henderson said the contest is the association's primary fundraiser.

"It's a unique contest in that it's a raffle. Probably three quarters of our ticket buyers buy on the grand prizes which are worth about $44,000 this year, including a 2016 Jeep Wrangler," he said.

Another unique feature of the contest is the pins. Those became part of the contest back in the 1950s and are collectors items for some people.

"They may be 75 years old and not hunt anymore, don't really expect or care to win a raffle prize. But they want their buttons every year," he said.

The draw for the contest will be held Nov.14. A winner will be named at 5:30 p.m. on 99.5 FM Cat Country in Truro, N.S.