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Rotary Duck Race winner picks up her new Fiat convertible in Maple Ridge

Heather Graham won a 2017 Fiat 124 Spider convertible
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Heather Graham in her new 2017 Fiat 124 Spider convertible valued at $38,285 from Maple Ridge Fiat. (Colleen Flanagan/THE NEWS)

Heather Graham is living proof that you only need one duck to win the grand prize at the Rotary Duck Race.

The Coquitlam resident bought a single ticket for the 8th annual race at the Farmer’s Market on the way to the Caribbean Festival the Saturday before the race and was the winner of the 2017 Fiat 124 Spider convertible valued at $38,285 from Maple Ridge Fiat.

“The farmer’s market was closing in about five minutes and they assured me that this is the winning booth and I said oh good, because I want to win,” laughed Graham.

Graham picked up the convertible on Monday at the Maple Ridge Chrysler Jeep Dodge dealership.

She said it was only luck that she saw that her phone was ringing while at a restaurant with a friend for lunch Aug. 12, the day of the race. Her ringer hadn’t been working properly for a month. Graham thought it would be rude to answer the phone at the table so she went outside to the parking lot.

“And thank goodness I did,” said Graham to members of the Ridge Meadows and Haney Rotary Clubs that had gathered to watch her get the keys to the vehicle.

“Because I’m wandering around the parking lot going, I won a car,” she said putting on a confused voice.

“I couldn’t believe it,” she added.

Graham’s nephew will be visiting from Quebec and so they will be taking the new convertible to Victoria.

“So, I have to figure out how I am going to fit camping gear,” she laughed.

The event is put on by the Rotary Club of Haney, the Rotary Club of Meadow Ridge and Maple Ridge Chrysler Jeep Dodge.

This year, $75,485 was raised for local youth groups and for the Maple Ridge Community Service for Seniors and Ridge Meadows Seniors Centre.

Up to 10,000 ducks were up for grabs at $10 a piece with the goal of raising $99,000 for local youth and senior groups in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows.



Colleen Flanagan

About the Author: Colleen Flanagan

I got my start with Black Press Media in 2003 as a photojournalist.
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