Gillian Alderson had a lucky number in her head when she purchased chocolate bars with the hope of finding a golden ticket in the second annual Valley Vonka and the Hot Chocolates Factory contest, presented by the Vernon Morning Star.
Alderson and her daughter, 10-year-old Sophia, purchased six bars at FreshCo, looking to win one of five prizes ranging in value from $580 to $1,500.
“The number six had just come up so many times throughout the day, so I thought I should just get six,” Alderson said.
“It was the lucky number of the day,” she added, after Sophia opened one of the bars and found the first golden ticket of the contest.
“Sophia could not believe her eyes,” she said. “It was like Christmas.”
Alderson said FreshCo only had four chocolate bars left at the checkout they were at, so the cashier brought over two more from another checkout.
It was one of those two bars, said Alderson, that contained the golden ticket everyone is looking for.
“It was meant to be,” Alderson said, explaining Sophia is a huge fan of Wonka, the latest movie based on the classic 1964 Roald Dahl novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which the Valley Vonka contest is based on.
Sophia has already seen Wonka three or four times and is a fan of one of the songs in the movie, A Hatful of Dreams.
Alderson captured the moment of Sophia unwrapping the golden ticket on video.
There are a total of 2,500 Valley Vonka chocolate bars created by Cotton’s Chocolates in Vernon, for a one in 500 chance of finding a golden ticket.
Four tickets are still out there.
Chocolate bars can be purchased by donation (minimum $5) at The Morning Star, Canadian Tire, Vernon Nissan, FreshCo and Printech.
The fundraising contest started April 25 and wraps up May 17, when all golden tickets must be redeemed by at the newspaper office (4407 25th Ave.) by 4 p.m.
Each golden ticket is tied to one of five prizes.
Those prizes are:
• A hanging chair from Canadian Tire worth $580
• FrechCo gift card worth $1,500
• Spallumcheen Golf and Country Club passes worth $1,500
• Vernon Towne Theatre movie package valued at $1,500
• Ladies World Health and Fitness memberships worth $1,500
The five lucky people finding golden tickets will be required to participate in a contest-ending event tentatively slated for Wednesday, May 22, at the Towne Theatre.
That is when the prizes will be formally awarded.
Proceeds from all chocolate bar sales in the Valley Vonka contest will go to Jumpstart, a community organization that helps kids overcome financial and accessibility barriers to sport and recreation in support of inclusive play for kids of all abilities.
READ MORE: Let the search for the five golden tickets commence in Vernon
READ MORE: Vernon Valley Vonka and the search for a golden ticket