Play For Purpose is a not-for-profit raffle helping hundreds of great Australian causes supercharge their fundraising. As part of its support of community organisations, The Lott provides resources and financial support to every Play For Purpose raffle.

It was the dream phone call Ange will never forget. 

“I was sitting on the floor and fell backwards. I couldn’t speak! I had to cover my mouth because I couldn’t stop screaming,” she recounted. 

In June, the mother of six from Forrest Lake, Queensland was drawn as the Play For Purpose raffle 1st Prize winner, taking home a prize pack worth $250,000. The news left her in a state of complete disbelief.

“I asked the lady on the phone if she was being honest and if she was kidding me. I put her on speakerphone to my whole family and asked her to repeat what she told me because I couldn’t believe it!”

As a long-time supporter of the community raffle, Ange had never considered she might one-day take out the major prize. For her, having an entry into the draw was simply a fun way to support a cause close to her heart. 

In the ultimate win-win, her raffle ticket helped to raise vital funds for the Children’s Hospital Foundation — a charity dedicated to improving the health and well-being of sick children and their families through support services, medical research, and patient care.

Since 2018, people like Ange have helped the Foundation raise more than $300,000 through Play For Purpose, where 50% of every ticket purchased goes directly to the organisation.

“I chose to buy the ticket as you never know when you may need the Children’s Hospital Foundation services, and how much new equipment and research is needed to help just one single child in need,” she said.

“We have a two-year-old daughter, Liberty, who has heart issues and other health complications. Donations mean so much to a family with a sick child so they can get the support they need.

“For the first 14 months of her life, Liberty had fevers every second or third week. Her immune system was seemingly non-existent,” Ange explained. 

“She would pick up every illness going around, and her weight would go up and down. We visited the doctors almost weekly.

“When we found out about the hole in her heart, it truly felt like, ‘what else could go wrong with our child?’, and that the bad news was never-ending."

While Liberty doesn’t require surgery at this stage, she will require regular check-ups to monitor her condition, and cardiac surgery may be needed down the track.

However, Ange is hopeful about the future. 

“I know our journey with Liberty definitely isn't as bad as what some other families deal with, but for us, I think just staying positive and trying not to think about all the bad things is what helps us get through.

“This prize has been truly life-changing for our whole family and has thrust us on a very positive track forward.

“It's so hard to explain all the emotions that we're going on all at once when we got that winning call. Excited, ecstatically happy, emotional, sad, relieved, overwhelmed. I couldn't get the smile off my face all day!”

The next Play For Purpose raffle draw is now open. You can support your favourite Australian charity and go into the draw for the chance to win a 1st Prize pack worth $250,000.

With a minimum of $5 for every $10 ticket going to a charity or sporting club of your choice – and over 500 causes available to support – all you need to do is decide who you’re playing for!