2019 Journey Lottery Draw winners announced (3 photos)

A handful of people were on hand at Precious Blood Cathedral Saturday to watch Father Hamish Currie pull the winning tickets for the 2019 Journey Lottery Draw.

This year’s draw pulled in $16,000 in proceeds, which will go toward paying off construction costs for the cathedral’s new, $2-million gathering place.

“Here we are just ready to open, so it’s been a good help for us in creating this gathering place,” Currie told SooToday following Saturday’s draw.

Somewhere between $300,000 and $400,000 still needs to be raised in order to pay off the gathering place project.

“The majority’s come from other fundraising activities, donations from the parish and from members of the community – and the lottery just assists that,” Currie said.

Here are this year's winners for the 2019 Journey Lottery Draw:

• $25,000 grand prize winners: Lindy and Adam Agnew
• $1,000 winner: Laura Sarlo
• $1,000 winner: Barb Muio
• $1,000 winner: Brad Moore
• $1,000 winner: Fred Skeggs
• $1,000 winner: Andrew Kisby

Nearly $100,000 has been raised for the project through the Journey Lottery Draw since the annual fundraiser began five years ago.

“It’s hard to believe that we’ve done what we’ve been able to do,” said Currie. “It’s very exciting. A lot of people have done a lot of work, a lot of good, hard work – and they’re to be commended for it.”

The grand opening of the gathering place will happen sometime in the late summer or early fall of this year, with a number of activities in the works in order to celebrate the opening.