Yellowknife (Feb 17/06) - The kings and queens of the Caribou Carnival will soon be selling raffle tickets spurred on by a new and hopefully profitable incentive plan.

Incentive Plan Tickets into gift certificates (all prizes are accumulative) 1,500 = $300 3,500 = $400 5,100 = $500 6,300 = $600 7,800 = 1st ticket to Edmonton 9,300 = 2nd ticket 10,800 = 3rd ticket 12,300 = 4th ticket

Carnival organizers hope changes to prizes for raffle ticket sellers will translate into more tickets being sold than ever before.

Organizers hope all 60,000 raffle tickets printed will be sold before the carnival begins.

"It's important to recognize your volunteers," said carnival co-ordinator John Dalton.

The more tickets a king, queen, prince or princess candidate sells, the more money in the form of gift certificates from local businesses they'll get.

Candidates can choose the business the gift certificate is for, or split the amount between several businesses.

The incentive plan is cumulative. A person who sells more than 12,300 tickets will be awarded four open tickets to Edmonton on First Air, plus $1,800 in gift certificates.

The king or queen and the prince or princess who sells the most tickets will each win a trip for two anywhere in North America.

The reason gift certificates are being substituted for cash prizes is to give back to Yellowknife businesses.

Raffle prizes include a trip for two to Edmonton with three nights accommodation, a 42-inch plasma television, a $450 voucher to spend at L'Heritage restaurant, a $350 gift certificate for Merle Norman, and $200 worth of gas at Petro Canada.

Each ticket is $2. People wishing to participate in the contest have until Feb. 22 to contact carnival organizers.

Though open to men, Dalton says a king has never been crowned. In past years, the carnival has had six to 10 people selling tickets.