Al Haycroft knows a thing or two about contests.
Two years in a row, he’s won the 50/50 draw on the final night of the Penticton Vees’ regular season. But he had no idea his luck would get this good.
Haycroft was the lucky winner of Encorp’s province-wide Return-It To Win-It Contest. Just by bringing his refundable beverage containers to the J & C Bottle Depot on Rosetown Avenue in Penticton this summer, Haycroft walked away with a cheque for $25,000.
“My first thought was — no way,” said Haycroft in a press release. “Sure, I’ve won a couple of things. But this is on a whole other level. You just don’t expect it.”
Haycroft’s winning entry was randomly chosen from over 370,000 entries gathered from the Return-It Depots across British Columbia that participated in the consumer appreciation contest.
Haycroft currently works as a salesperson for a safety communications company. After his most recent win, his office colleagues want in on the action.
“Everyone in my office is like — you have to buy us all lottery tickets now,” he said.
“Al embraces everything that’s great about Penticton,” said Scott Fraser, president and CEO of Encorp Pacific. “He’s a big outdoors guy, and he cares about the people in the community too. He gets it — how the small things like recycling can make a big difference in ensuring B.C. is a great place to live.”
“It’s great to reward someone who’s been a part of this community in such a positive way,” said John Lee, owner of J & C Bottle Depot.
Haycroft intends to use some of his winnings to “spoil” his mom, who’s now 81 years old.
“I figure I owe her one,” he said.
After that, he plans to visit Las Vegas, to take in a show by rock-n-roll legend Elton John.
“I’ve never seen him before — it’s on the bucket list. But it won’t be for long.”
