Oh so close in Bay de Verde as two of spades means another week of chase the ace saga

Brenda Broderick arrived in Bay de Verde just in time Thursday to purchase her tickets and be part of the weekly chase the ace craze in the community, and it turned out to be her lucky day.

The Grates Cove resident and her ticket-buyingpartner, fellow Quinlan Bros. employee David Earle of Portugal Cove-St. Philip's, won the consolation prize of nearly $45,000.

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And she came oh so close to also winning the nearly $320,000 jackpot.

Two of spades turned up

With dozens of people looking on, Broderick stared briefly at the five cards placed before her on the table.

Pick the ace of spades and a chase the ace fundraiser that began last October with only a few dozen participants would be over.

But once again, the ace remained hidden, with Broderick turning over the two of spades.

"In shock," Broderick replied when asked how she felt.

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She said she had no immediate plans for the money, but was happy to share it with her co-worker.

As for the 50/50, a prize of more than $27,000 went to Trevor Priddle of Small Point, who said he planned to buy a new all-terrain vehicle.

Biggest crowd yet

The 50/50 drawmarked the end of what was another dramatic and exciting day in Bay de Verde, a small community at the northern tip of the Baccalieu Trail that has become the talk of the province.

Organizers estimate that upwards of 4,000 people bought tickets Thursday, funneling thousands more dollarsinto the Roman Catholic parish's coffers.

Heading into this week, organizer John Wayne Walsh said the fundraiser had already brought in more than $300,000 to the parish.

The money will be used for upgrades to the church, parish hall and rectory.

The failure to turn up the ace means yet another week of planning, but Walsh is not complaining.

"Excellent. Excitement. And I'm really, really tickled pink that it's not gonebecause the more money we make for the church the better."