Rotaryfest’s Take Your Pick winner selects $100K cash prize

For a second straight year, a Sault Ste. Marie resident is $100,000 richer thanks to Rotaryfest’s ‘Take Your Pick’ draw.

Scott Majic chose to take home the giant cash prize after the Rotary Club of Sault Ste. Marie drew his lucky ticket Saturday night at Clergue Park.

When volunteers attempted to contact him in front of a live audience downtown, Majic’s wife, who was out of town, picked up the phone and didn’t appear to realize he purchased a ticket.

The other prize options were a 2024 Chevrolet Corvette 2024, valued at $119,246, or a Ford F150 4WD SuperCrew and 2023 SeaDoo FishPro with trailer, valued at $115,542.

Despite online sales being slightly down this year, Rotary still sold more than 21,000 tickets — the second most in the draw’s history — which produced over $420,000 before expenses.

Rotaryfest co-chair Rod Goodall said those numbers are good news for a variety of local charities, including Easter Seals, THRIVE Child Development Centre, United Way, and the Sault Area Hospital.

“With a string of successful draws now, we’re actually approaching great causes unsolicited and recognizing them for the great work they do,” he told SooToday. “This provides them some money for initiatives they’ve been working on internally and gives them a kickstart to perhaps something they’ve been thinking about starting.”

Throughout his 27 years as a Rotarian, Goodall can count on one hand how many winners have chosen to take the car — and his club is okay with that.

“We’re happy with whichever option they choose, but Rotary saves money if the winner takes the cash because the value of the other prizes are always worth more,” he explained. “We’ll collect close to $20,000 more into the causes since the cash prize was selected.”

“We’re also very pleased with the dealerships,” he continued. “These vehicles are out there, we move them around for viewing, and it gives them great marketing — but they don’t make a nickel on it. The vehicles tend to be the wow factor, but at the end of the day, cash is king.”

Last year, long-time Sault Area Hospital employee Leah Malkki also chose the $100,000 prize when she was stunned to learn she won the record-breaking draw. 

SooToday will catch up with Majic and determine what he intends to do with the winnings when the Rotary club hosts a formal cheque presentation at Northern Superior next Tuesday.