Inuvik (Mar 07/03) - The largest raffle in NWT history is underway in Inuvik. The Lions Dream Home raffle offers an estimated prize in excess of $250,000.

The home will have four bedrooms, two-and-a-half bathrooms, featuring a living room, formal dining room with vaulted ceilings, full kitchen with centre island, dinette and family room with a gas fireplace.

The master bedroom has a walk-in closet, also an en suite Jacuzzi tub, shower and twin sinks.

The lot at 24 Stringer Rd. was purchased by the family centre fundraising committee and donated to the Lions for the raffle.

If the winner decides they don't want the house and land, they have the option of $200,000 in cash.

Raffle organizer Vicki Boudreau said if the Lions can raise at least $250,000 through the raffle they would be able to name the family centre.

"We think the 'Lions Family Centre' has a nice ring," Beaudreau said.

There have been 6,000 tickets printed and they are priced at $100 each. She said sales have been brisk.

"At first we were a little nervous that they might not sell but they are proving to be pretty popular," she said.

"Imagine if it was a $200,000 bingo -- the odds are certainly better that anything else you can buy here.

All Lions members have tickets for sale.

They are also available from members of the pool fundraising committee, and at the lottery booth in the drugstore, the town hall and other selected businesses in Inuvik.

Members will also be selling tickets at the Northern and at Stanton's on Saturdays.

They also have a unique payment method arranged, whereby people can purchase a subscription, which buys 10 tickets Beaudreau said.

By pre-authorizing the purchase of one ticket on your credit card, you can buy one ticket for each of the 10 months from January to October.

The Lions say the subscriptions have been quite popular early on and a number have already been sold.