SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. —January 2022 winners have been announced for Sault Tribe’s COVID-19 Rescue Act Vaccination Lottery. Three team member drawings and three tribal member drawings were held, with each winner receiving $5,000, for a total of $30,000 in January vaccination lottery prizes.
The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians Board of Directors established the COVID-19 Rescue Act Vaccination Lottery, which will be held every month through April 2022, to encourage tribal members and team members to get vaccinated to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Winning team members for January were Annette Sheber, Michael Sauro and Julie Hagan.
Kewadin Casino Conventions Sales Manager Annette Sheber had a phone message from CFO Executive Assistant Heather Weber. Returning what she thought was a work-related call, she found out she was a $5,000 January vaccination lottery winner.
“I was very excited, in fact, she was not able to finish speaking,” said Sheber. “Everyone in the office knew something exciting had just happened. I am elated, and very thankful our tribe decided to have a vaccination lottery.”
“I was really surprised they called me,” said Sauro, a surveillance operator with Kewadin Casinos in Sault Ste. Marie. “My car had just blown a head gasket and I couldn’t afford to fix it. Now I can get another car.”
“I think if everyone sticks together, we can beat this virus,” he said.
Julie Hagan, Sault Tribe Senior Accountant, said, “I was excited and shocked that I won. I have never won anything like this.”
Tribal member winners for January were Carla Gieryk of Gladstone, Joseph Krause of St. Ignace and John Moffat of California.
“When I got the phone call saying I won the COVID lottery, I was so surprised that I won,” said Gieryk. “Living on Social Security, winning that much money came in handy. Thank you very much.”
To enter the vaccination lottery, participants must complete and submit only one entry form on the tribe’s website, saulttribe.com. Eligible participants will automatically qualify for the next month’s drawings if they did not win during the prior month.
To be eligible to participate in the lottery, tribal members and team members must be 18 and older as of the entry date. Drawing winners must provide proof they received at least one dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccination as of the date the entry form was submitted. Tribal member drawing winners must submit proof of their enrollment in the tribe as of their entry form submission date and winning date. Team member drawing winners must submit proof of their employment with the tribe as of their entry form submission date and winning date.