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Robert Michon | Communications Specialist , ARTA
An Unexpected Retirement Bonus
Finally reaching your retirement date is a feeling of freedom for most , but for ARTA member Tracey McIvor , it came with some unexpected news : While he was ringing in the beginning of his retirement with a golf game , he got a call from Alberta ’ s premier , informing him that he was the first winner of the province ’ s COVID-19 Vaccination Lottery . It seemed that fate had handed him a $ 1,000,000 retirement bonus .
Tracey had been looking forward to retirement after a long career as an administrator with the Calgary Board of Education . Along with his wife , he was making plans to do some light travelling , spend some time with friends in Arizona , and help out his two children as they begin careers and lives of their own . The news that he was Alberta ’ s first lottery winner didn ’ t change those plans , but it definitely opened up a few more possibilities .
“ Our retirement goals haven ’ t really changed all that much , but we ’ re looking forward to being able to reach higher and have some experiences that we could only dream about before ,” he says . “ We had planned on visiting Europe , and one thing I ’ ve always dreamed about is watching the British Open in St . Andrews , Scotland , but I never would have been comfortable doing it . Now , it ’ s something extra that I can include in my trip .”
In addition to Europe , Tracey and his wife want to tour the United States and visit all the Major League Baseball stadiums in the country — another longtime dream . But Tracey is also looking to spend his lottery winnings a little closer to home , in a way that helps people in his community . “ We have the chance to help people in our community here in Langdon and do a lot of good for our neighbours ,” he says . “ We ’ re not quite sure what that looks like yet , but it ’ s something we ’ ve been thinking about a lot .”
Tracey had always planned on getting vaccinated , and in fact , had both doses by the time the lottery was announced . “ I think everyone makes their own
Lucinda and Tracey McIvor
choice based on their own situation and beliefs ,” he says . “ But for me , getting vaccinated is about protecting the people around you . It ’ s about feeling safe and making everyone else feel safe as well . We have lots of friends here and in the United States , and we want to be able to see them without worrying about getting them sick . It ’ s not just about me , it ’ s about the people I care about .”
Congratulations on your big win , Tracey . It ’ s hard to think of a better way to begin your retirement .
news & views AUTUMN 2021 | 37