Two new ways to win big with the Canes

On Tuesday, the North Carolina Education Lottery introduced a new scratch-off instant lottery game. It features the Hurricanes and their Stanley Cup championship. The maximum prize is $100,000. Also, there's a Hurricanes prize pack that includes a polo shirt, a windbreaker, a sweatshirt, a plaque, and a backpack. You can click here to see all the details about the game. Today, I bought two of the $5 tickets, and got $8 back.

In North Carolina, all of the profit from the sale of lottery tickets goes to education. Primarily, the money goes towards programs geared at reducing classroom overcrowding. Also, some of the dough goes to college scholarship programs.

Also, the Carolina Hurricanes are offering its fans an opportunity to win a Stanley Cup Champions ring exactly like the ones the players received on Monday night. The team will sell raffle tickets inside the arena all season long, and the winner will be announced at the last home game of the season. All money raised from raffle ticket sales will go to the Kids 'N Community Foundation. The foundation, which gave over $1M in cash and services last fiscal year, is focused on improving the lives of children. They work in conjunction with the Hockey Fights Cancer program as well as other children's health programs. In addition, they run a literacy program and promote after-school learning activities. As a secondary initiative, the foundation helps promote hockey camps and other youth hockey programs.

I don't know how much the raffle tickets are, but I would imagine they call it a minimum $2 donation.

Sheesh. Opening night less than 24 hours away. I'll come home with lots of photos/video of the banner raising. And photos of the Slugalo sweaters in action. And something about the actual game.

Have I written the word "program" too many times?