And then there were three.
Vernon resident Liz Dandeneault stopped off at The Morning Star Tuesday, April 25, like she always does, to get her newspaper. This time, she also left with a chocolate bar.
She had read about the Star’s fundraising event, Valley Vonka and the Hot Chocolates Factory, where 2,500 specially created chocolate bars are available for sale at participating sponsors for $5 each, supporting Jumpstart.
Inside five of the Valley Vonka Belgian chocolate bars created by Cotton’s Chocolates of Vernon are five golden tickets, similar to the Roald Dahl novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Dahl’s novel has also been twice made into Hollywood films).
Dandeneault became the second person to find a golden ticket, joining Vernon Nissan finance manager Mike Manka.
“I came in and bought just one bar,” said Dandeneault. “I opened the bar at home, saw the ticket, thought ‘Oh shoot.’ It’s just like in the movies. There’s something in this bar.”
As lucky ticket holders, Dandeneault and Manka will be part of a special event May 17, at the Towne Theatre where the five people who locate golden tickets will find out which of the five grand prizes they’ve won:
1. An outdoor patio set from Canadian Tire (value of $1,300);
2. Gift cards from Tim Hortons worth $1,200;
3. One year family pass to any recreation center from the City of Vernon (value of $1,500);
4. Spallumcheen Golf and Country Club golf passes (value of $1,500);
5. Vernon Towne Theatre movie package (value of $1,500).
The Towne Theatre’s prize package will include a framed movie poster (value of $200), Towne Theatre membership, which gets you reduced prices for any show (value of $50), 12 Night at the Towne vouchers which consist of two admissions, one large popcorn, two medium drinks and a large candy (value of $35). There will also be restaurant vouchers worth $800, to a large choice of local spots.
So far, The Morning Star promotion/fundraiser is playing out like Dahl’s novel, which centres around an eccentric candy factory owner named Willie Wonka who offers five people around the globe a tour of his factory if they find a golden tickets in one of his WONKA bars.
The first ticket was found by a boy, Augustus Gloop, and the second ticket was found by a young girl, Veruca Salt. Four of the five ticket winners in the book are eliminated from the tour in hilarious fashion.
Dandeneault won’t have the same fate as Salt, who fell down a garbage chute with her dad.
Dandeneault bought the bar to help support the community. Proceeds from the chocolate bar sales go to Jumpstart, Canadian Tire’s charity that helps kids with barriers and accessibility issues get involved in local sports and recreation.
Chocolate bars are available for sale at The Morning Star (also selling bars for sponsor Center Stage Performing Arts Academy), Vernon Nissan, Printech, Butcher Boys and Canadian Tire until May 12 or until they sell out.
READ MORE: First golden ticket found in Vernon Valley Vonka fundraiser – four left
READ MORE: Vernon Valley Vonka and the search for a golden ticket
roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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