Winnipeg pastor wins $ 1.1 million prize after Jets star scored five goals in one game

When Pastor Chris Haley learned Saturday night that he had won $ 1 million, Winnipeg Jets winger Patrick Laine had five goals in one game in the NHL. He had already written his sermon for the next morning.

The subject was money.

"Oddly enough, I was all prepared.The sermon was about money.The love of money is the root of all evil.You can not fall in love with it," he said. Haley said Wednesday at a media event at Safeway River's East Henderson Highway store where he and his wife, Karen, are doing the essentials of their shopping.

Haley won the Sobeys Safeway Score & Win Contest, which earns $ 1 million if a Jets player scores five or more goals in one game. The grocery giant's customers are automatically entered into the contest by swiping their Air Miles card. The name of a qualifying purchaser for a prize is drawn prior to each NHL game in the regular season and in the playoffs.

The contest also raises $ 100,000 if a Jets player scores four goals in a game – total winnings will be $ 1.1 million – and will also receive $ 1,000 in Sobeys Safeway gift cards for the hat trick (three goals).

Needless to say, his first purchase will not be a sports car: the first thing the couple plans to buy is new glbades. And do not call Haley the "millionaire pastor" – the money will be paid in installments of $ 50,000 over 20 years.

"I'm not a millionaire yet," he said.

Haley did not watch the game – an 8-4 win at St. Louis against the Blues – so there was no tension and drama to see the goals accumulating a has a. He attended a religious event, of course.

When he looked at his mobile phone and saw texts asking him if he was the Chris Haley of the Score & Win contest promoted during the TV show, he replied that he did not think so .

When he returned home, Karen asked him if he wanted to tell him anything: the media left voice messages on their phones.

Shortly after 10 pm, a contest representative phoned to check if he had the corresponding Air Miles card number and confirm that he had won. Haley eventually put the finishing touches on the sermon the next day for the Berean Baptist Church in North Kildonan.

He said that he was not ready to talk publicly about the event that changed lives, though. In part, he had trouble believing that it was real.

"My personality is," Do not go crazy, just keep your feet on the ground. "My wife and I have talked a lot about it in recent days, keep going, keep going.

Haley works full time day and spends the night and weekends doing the pastor work – "It's a small church and they could not pay me a salary" – and rarely has time to look a match of the Jets. He added that he was more likely to listen to the broadcasts on his car radio when traveling between church meetings.

Haley was invited to attend the Jets-Pittsburgh Penguins match Tuesday at Bell MTS Place, and said he had been touched by a pre-game meeting with Laine's mother. "She came and she was hugging my wife and she was crying.This was such a nice woman."

He also met Laine after the match and thanked him. ("He just said that he was grateful to be part of it," Haley said.)

Haley said on Wednesday: "I'd like to thank God for that, I know some people might not like it, but I'm a pastor and I believe it's a gift from God."

Gord Miller, TSN host, presides over the event and notes that not only has Laine scored five goals, but he has managed the feat in five shots at least, which has not happened since NHL legend Wayne Gretzky did the same.

Haley received a giant card check of $ 1.1 million at the ceremony.

"For a food retailer, it looks like the Stanley Cup for me," said Scott Chollak, vice president of retail operations at Sobeys Safeway.

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Bill Redekop
Rural Reporter

Bill Redekop has been dealing with rural issues since 2001.

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