A diamond says Valentine’s Day

For Valentine’s Day spend $20 and you could win a rock valued at over $10,000.
“The odds are excellent,” said Melanie Chretian, event publicity and promotions coordinator for the Prince George chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
The charity is the official recipient of all ticket proceeds raised by the 2nd annual Polar Bear Diamond Lottery, which is once again supported by Gemini Jewellers on Quebec Street.
A new component of the lottery this year is a pub challenge. There are 14 participating pubs in the area selling the $20 tickets for the draw, which will take place February 14 at 5:30 p.m. at Gemini Jewellers.
First place is a 14-karat gold solitaire ring with a 0.78 CT round Canadian polar bear diamond valued at $10,400. Second place is a 14-karat gold solitaire ring with a .50 CT oval Canadian polar bear diamond valued at $4,650, and third prize is a 14K gold solitaire ring with a .35 CT round Canadian polar bear diamond valued at $2,750.
“Only 2,000 tickets have been printed so everyone who enters has a good shot at the prizes,” said Chretian. Last year only 900 of the 2,000 tickets sold, but this year she anticipates higher sales due to greater awareness of the event and the fact that community pubs have gotten on board with the challenge.
“If we sell all the tickets we will raise $30,000 in profits to go toward CF. The pub that sells the most gets a hot tub party including beer from Kokanee, pizza from Dominos and Kraft snacks,” she said.
CF is a fatal disorder that attacks the lungs and digestive system and is carried in the genes of one in every 25 Canadians.
“Thanks to research the median age of survival has increased from four in 1950 to 35.6 today,” said Chretian, whose daughter, Courtney, was diagnosed at birth with CF.
The three-year-old was chosen last spring as the poster girl for CF, and appeared in a national campaign to promote fluorescent sticks called Fright Lites last Hallowe’en.
CF coin boxes bearing her picture were also put into neighbourhood pubs with adjoining beer and wine stores.
“The community responded extremely well to the boxes but they kept expressing a desire to do more,” said Courtney’s grandfather Barry Reidel, who listened to the suggestions of several retailers and came up with the pub challenge.
Pubs included in the challenge are Alfredo’s Pub, Alpine Pub, The Alternate, BX Pub, Bonnet Hill Pub and Grill, College Heights Pub, First Litre Party Shack, JJ’s Pub, The Pumphouse Pub, Rouge Pub, Skeeto’s Pub and Grill Ltd., Steamer’s Pub, Tabor Arms Pub and the Westwood Pub.
Tickets are also being sold at Gemini Jewellers, Tropical Pool & Spas, Kinsmen & Kinettes Clubs of Prince George and Mackenzie, Grower Direct, CIBC on 3rd Avenue and Kidz Unlimited Daycare.