Manitoba lottery winners quietly spread holiday cheer

Generous spirits from Sagkeeng First Nation have been riding a wave of post-Christmas philanthropy ? virtually wiping out the debt of Winnipeg's Christmas Cheer Board and apparently visiting other charitable causes in the Manitoba capital.

Lottery millionaires Marie and Kirby Fontaine gave the Christmas Cheer Board a cheque for $50,000 Thursday afternoon, said board director Kai Madsen.

Madsen said the Fontaines called after hearing media reports that the cheer board was left with a shortfall of roughly $60,000 in the aftermath of the agency's annual campaign of delivering Christmas gift hampers to the city's needy.

"They said we're going to come by and fix that," Madsen told CBC, adding no one at the charity was certain it was Fontaines who telephoned.

Then, out of the blue, the couple who won $50 million in a Lotto 6/49 draw in 2009, showed up at the Cheer Board offices. "I was all choked up," when the generous couple offered a cheque to cover the bulk of the shortfall, said Madsen.

"It was nice to be able to hug and shake hands and feel the warmth and generosity of someone," said Madsen. "It was a very special day."

He said that in the 40 years he's been involved with the board he's never seen an individual gift so large.

Madsen said he understood the Fontaines were planning to visit other worthy causes in the Winnipeg area.

Kirby Fontaine spent his last $10 on a lottery ticket in 2009 when the couple won the big prize: $50 million. Since then the publicity-shy Fontaines have donated to a number of good causes around Manitoba ? often with little or no fanfare.

"Tricks" said
They need to be concealed carrying though.

Kirby and Marie Fontaine are at it again with their giving ways.

The Manitoba multi-millionares, who have spread their wealth since winning a $50-million Lotto Max draw in 2009, just topped up a few charities in the province.

After giving the Christmas Cheer Board a cheque on Thursday for $50,000, the Fontaines followed up by giving $50,000 each to Siloam Mission and Winnipeg Harvest food bank.

On Friday, the generous couple struck again, giving $50,000 each to Rossbrook House and the Boys and Girls Club of Winnipeg.

A spokesperson for Siloam, a downtown Winnipeg homeless shelter and soup kitchen, said the Fontaines dropped the money off late Thursday.

The Fontaines chose Siloam because they feel connected to the population and wanted to help, according to the spokesperson.

She said people at the mission are having a hard time believing it happened, adding it will feed a lot of people.

The philanthropic but publicity-shy Fontaines have shared their money in many ways � often with little or no fanfare.

In December 2009, a month after their big win, they covered the tab for a Winnipeg girl's hockey equipment.

The couple, who continue to live on the Sagkeeng First Nation northeast of Winnipeg, have funded a Sagkeeng hockey team for youth, including paying for new, top-of-the-line equipment, as well as a baseball tournament.

They have also reportedly funded a hot-meal program at a school in the community.