Ticket sales are underway for the 33rd annual Brentwood Dream Home Lottery with the grand prize home to be built in Amherstburg.
The home is worth an estimated $1 million and is located at 28 Brittany Court, in the new Brittany’s Gate subdivision just off of Texas Road. It is being built for the second consecutive year by Nor-Built Construction.
Brentwood Recovery Home officials pointed out how crucial the Dream Home Lottery is to their operation. They currently have 43 beds but room for 200 people.
Board chair Ken Courtenay remembered when he was on program at Brentwood 29 years and that is when he started selling tickets for the lottery. The home back then was valued at approximately $250,000 and now it is $1 million.
“We’ve been all over selling tickets,” said Courtenay. “The reason is because to run Brentwood is very expensive.”
In addition to the program itself, initiatives like after-care are offered and Courtenay said he didn’t even want to contemplate the future of that if there wasn’t the lottery to help fund it. Brentwood has a waiting list of approximately five to six weeks but would like to see that eliminated, noting the importance of getting help right when they need it and not having to wait.
Brentwood executive director Elizabeth Dulmage noted they are also having a 50/50 draw and a draw for $60,000 in celebration of the recovery home’s 60th anniversary.
“In this year’s lottery, we’ve over 80 prizes to give away,” said Dulmage. “The lottery is our biggest fundraiser. We are so grateful for the community’s support and the proceeds help support our critical programs and services. In a time when people are hurting and having trouble finding the help they need in the community, we need to do more. Every ticket sold means we can do more to help and ensure the needs of the clients and the community are being met.”
Dulmage urged people to get their tickets early to be eligible for all of the early bird draws. She said the “pressures are enormous” at Brentwood and they know there is a lot of need in the community. It takes at least $100 per bed per day to operate the 43 beds after government funding and private donations are factored in.
“We depend immensely on the support of Windsor-Essex residents,” she said.
The recovery homes try to support people as they await a bed through a “buddy system” and working with them as they go through AA but they still lose some and they fall back into their addictions. She said “this is not a disease that waits for treatment” and many are back on the street.
Many awaiting treatment do not have jobs or private insurance, she noted.
Joe Papa is now on staff at Brentwood but is also an alumni member. He said he went through six years ago.
“Being able to come here literally saved my life,” said Papa.
Papa added people who go through Brentwood are given love and compassion as they deal with their addiction issues.
“Without the lottery, it would be next to impossible to operate Brentwood,” said Papa.
Other major prizes include a 2025 Chevy Equinox from Gus Revenberg Chevrolet Buick GMC, a 2025 Jeep Compass from Motor City Chrysler and a 2025 Ford Maverick XLT hybrid from Ken Knapp Ford. There is also a cash equivalent that can be taken instead of the vehicles.
For more information or to buy tickets, visit www.brentwoodlottery.com.
By Ron Giofu
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