A win-win contest

Jaya Sood is looking forward to a free trip to see family, but is happier with the charitable donation she’s made and it’s all because of an everyday purchase.

Sood won 100,000 Air Miles during a back-to-school contest. She gets to keep half of the points and the rest gets donated to a charity of her choice.

“I was pretty excited, one because I get the chance to donate half of them and two because I get to go on a trip or something,” she said.

She says 50,000 Air Miles is roughly $5,000.

The second-year commerce student at Dalhousie University chose to donate the Air Miles to the to the Children’s Wish Foundation, an organization that helps Canadian children, families and communities by granting the favourite wish of a child diagnosed with a life-threatening illness.

“I really love kids and I wanted to help a kid in need.”

She says the Children’s Wish Foundation has already contacted her and thanked her for the donation.

Sood said she doesn’t even remember what she bought that lead to her prize.

Air Miles collectors were given the opportunity to use bonus miles on their purchases at participating locations. For every bonus mile a collector got using their coupons, they were entered for a chance to win.

Sood isn’t really sure what to do with her points but says she’d like to use her points to visit family in Ottawa when the school year is over.

“I haven’t seen them in awhile so it would be nice to go out and visit.”

While Sood says she doesn’t apply for contests often, she also says she’s not very lucky either.

“I don’t win things very often.”