Karen Lander
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jan 06/98) - Elks patrons packed the clubroom and waited patiently as the Exalted Ruler pulled out the winners of the club's raffle on New Years Eve.

The first prize winner would walk away with a $26,000 Fat Boy Harley Davidson. Originally set to take place on Father's Day, the 3,000 tickets went so fast that the draw was moved up to Dec. 31.

But when his name was called, the winner, Robert Cook of Yellowknife wasn't there to claim his prize.

Surprised by a phone call he received to announce that he was the grand prize winner, Cook, who is a corrections officer at the Yellowknife Correctional Centre, says "Those raffle tickets were the best Christmas present I ever bought myself."

Although Cook won't be taking it on the road until the summer, he looks forward to riding his new Fat Boy, one of the many makes of Harley Davidson.

"A friend of mine at work had three more tickets, and I looked at the numbers 2555, and I liked the number," he said, adding, "after I purchased the ticket, I kept telling the guys at work that I'm going to win."

Cook describes his emotions after learning that he'd won the Harley Davidson bike. "I've been so excited that I haven't gotten much sleep, having an upset stomach, and my nerves are shot,"

He adds,"everybody had the same chances to win, but I guess I was the lucky one."

Cook admits there are many responsibilities of owning a Harley.

"There's a lot of responsibility in owning a bike, you have to put a lot of money into it, take care of the insurance, etc... but I don't regret buying the tickets, for now, it's going to be tucked away, it's my baby," he adds.

Rod McBrian took second place winning an outboard motor while Mike Magee took third prize, winning the five-day fishing trip for two at Mackay Lake Lodge.

Bernard Dolan took the fourth prize, a set of golf clubs worth $1,000.00 and last but not least, was Dave Paul who won the $500.00 gift certificate for Wolverine Sports Shop.

The Yellowknife Elks Lodge donated $24,164.57 to the Stanton Hospital Foundation.