Denise Gionet of Caraquet, N.B. recently won the top-prize on Celebrate & Share – a special 50th anniversary Scratch’N Win ticket from Atlantic Lottery. 

Celebrate & Share offers 10 top prizes of $50,000 plus an additional $10,000 for the winner’s charity of choice. 

Before she even purchased the tickets, Gionet knew if she was to win, she would choose Fondation Hôpital de l’Enfant-Jésus to receive the $10,000 donation. The funds will be directed to benefit the oncology unit of the hospital. 

“I chose the Caraquet hospital because it is the soul of our village, it’s something we should never lose,” Gionet said. “Honestly, I feel happier giving the $10,000 to this charity then to have the $50,000 for myself.” 

Gionet, whose late husband was a patient in the oncology unit nearly a decade ago, said she still keeps in touch with the doctor and nurses who cared for him. 

“The presence they had with him, the human warmth, its unexplainable,” Gionet said. “It’s those things that tug on the heart strings – you get here, you feel at home and they’re always there for you.” 

‘We were very surprised’

Fondation Hôpital de l’Enfant-Jésus supports the quality of care provided to patients and families in Caraquet by backing the institution’s evolving priorities and contributing to accessible, compassionate, and high-quality care. 

“Once we learned that someone in the community chose us to receive $10,000, we were very surprised and felt so grateful,” said Normand Mourant, president of the foundation. “The donation represents a lot of things and recognizes that Madame Gionet received good services and care at our hospital, even though it was 9 years ago.” 

Mourant said the $10,000 donation to the foundation will help the hospital expand services to its patients in the Acadian peninsula. 

Atlantic Lottery launched Celebrate & Share on July 1, 2026 as a way to celebrate 50 years of giving back to the people and places of Atlantic Canada. To date, there have been three other Celebrate & Share top-prize winners and charities supported: 

• Bernadette Allen of Southern Harbour, N.L. supported Clarenville Area SPCA 

• Rita Comeau of Neguac, N.B. supported Centre familial Unique Family Centre Inc 

• Rheamie Tulagan of Shediac, N.B. supported Canadian Red Cross in New Brunswick 

 Six top prizes of $50,000 plus an additional $10,000 for the winner’s charity of choice remain available to be won on Celebrate & Share. What charity would you choose to support if you won?