Kelowna couple married for 50 years wins $1.37M Lake Life Lottery grand prize

John and Sherry Gulley hit a massive life milestone in 2023, celebrating their golden wedding anniversary, but they may have topped that just 11 days into 2024.

On Jan. 11, 2024, the Kelowna couple got a life-changing phone call from Tammie Watson at the YMCA and it was enough to stop them in their tracks at the grocery store.

The Gulleys were the grand prize winners of the Lake Life Lottery, which earned them a $1.37-million grand prize that included a fully-furnished home in Quail’s Landing.

“I was in absolute disbelief,” John explained, noting that it took Watson around five minutes to convince him she wasn’t playing a prank and they had actually won.

It’s been a wild 50 years of marriage for the couple, who have lived in many cities throughout British Columbia but settled in Kelowna a decade ago.

“We began our journey fifty years ago with almost nothing," said Sherry. "Through years of hard work and countless relocations for the sake of our family's opportunities, this unexpected blessing is a beautiful addition to our shared adventure."

John and Sherry were eager to share the news with their family in Calgary, but the concept of the Lake Life Lottery was a little confusing to some.

“Our grandkids were somewhat perplexed when we told them,” noted John. “They thought that we had won a house from a scratch-and-win ticket or something!”

Beyond the thrill of winning, supporting the Lake Life Lottery is something that’s important to the Gulleys, as they both have close ties to community health.

John’s father was a physician and his mother was a nurse, while Sherry has several relatives who work at Kelowna General Hospital.

“We’ve supported other home lotteries, but this one is special because it is local, and the two causes are so important for our community,” John explained.

The Gulleys weren’t the only big winners in January, as Kamloops resident Hayley Green took home more than $235,000 as the Lake Life Lottery’s 50/50 draw prize winner.

“Even after looking at the email and matching the tickets, it was still hard to believe,” she said after her win. “In terms of impacting our lives, it makes dreams of travelling a reality – it just feels like more things are possible now.”

And the winning isn’t over yet, as the Lake Life Lottery is offering nearly $100,000 in additional prizes throughout February, which you can learn more about here.