The Portage Plains United Way drew the winner for their progressive 50/50 draw today. Portager Bonnie Gadway won $8,755, while the United Way receives the same amount, minus the costs of the draw.

Executive Director Pamela Lotun says the United Way still needs about $140,000 to meet their $242,000 goal for their 2017 campaign. She says the United Way helps many member agencies, which will benefit from every donation.

"It means a lot, not just to the United Way, but the ten member agencies that we help. Whether it be the Big Brothers Big Sisters, Tupper Street Family Resource Centre, Sunset Palliative Care. And we don't just help people in Portage, we help people throughout our entire catchment area. So if we don't make our goal, then that's less money that we can give to those member agencies who really depend on funding from the United Way," says Lotun.

Lotun says with less money for various agencies it could mean less volunteers or less programming available to them. She says they also have a community response grant, for different ad-hoc things that various organizations may need.

Lotun hopes people will get into the Christmas spirit and donate before the new year. She says there are a lot of ways you can donate.

"You can come down to our office at 20 Saskatchewan Avenue, you can call it in, you can pledge online, you can donate through your payroll at work, online you can have one time donations or monthly donations as well," Lotun says.

Lotun adds any new donor will be matched dollar for dollar by Stride Credit Union, up to a maximum of $10,000.