One week after the winning ace was pulled in the Nighthawks Chase the Ace contest on July 29, winner Joe Strebly dropped by to receive his cheque.

The meeting place was Smitty’s, the location of more than 40 weeks of Chase the Ace excitement. The jackpot, including his daily prize: $49,813. 

Strebly is a Winnipeg resident with Niverville connections, and that’s how he came to learn about the local MJHL team’s fundraising initiative. 

His good friend, Gord Buczko, took one of the weekly draw prizes early in the contest. From that time forward, Strebly was investing on a weekly basis, too.

Strebly says he’s won some nominal prizes in various contests prior, but never anything this big.

“I’m probably going to invest most of it and then vacation a little,” says a retired Strebly.

He hopes to enjoy a couple of weeks in Aruba alongside his wife.

At the end of the day, Nighthawks board vice president Ray Dowse says the team will benefit to the tune of around $50,000 from the fundraising initiative. Final accounting, once the various costs and fees associated with the contest have been calculated, will determine the exact revenue for the team.