WIN THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME & SUPPORT THE ART CENTRE TOO!

Chester Art Centre Raffles Dream Trip in Draw 350!

How would you like to get up close and personal with Gentoo penguins on the Antarctic Peninsula? Enjoy a Zodiac cruise among migrating whales and Elephant seals off South Georgia Island? Trek through tussock grasses to see Black-browed albatrosses on the Falkland Islands?

You can do all that and more on a dream vacation for two at a once-in-a-lifetime bargain price. Nineteen days and 18 nights aboard the M.V. Polar Star cruising the South Antarctic Islands and Antarctica , an expedition worth $27,360 US could be yours, all for the price of a $100 lottery ticket. And the proceeds of the lottery stay right here in the community supporting the many programs of the Chester Art Centre.

It is an amazing opportunity, says CAC executive director Karen Hooper. We were absolutely floored when Polar Star Expeditions offered us this trip. It is the kind of travel most of us dream of, but very few of us can afford.

Polar Star Expeditions is owned by Chester resident Martin Karlsen, an enthusiastic supporter of the Art Centre. Mary Filbee, sales and marketing manager for Polar Star, and David Archibald, operations manager also live in Chester and were instrumental in arranging the offer. A lot of the people involved in the Chester Art Centre are good friends and we were more than happy to support the fine work the Centre is doing, says Mary.

The proceeds of the lottery go to support the many programs of the Chester Art Centre. Founded in 2007, the Centre offers year-round classes, workshops, lectures and exhibitions. Classes offered since the Centre opened have run the gamut: life drawing, water colours, collage, batik, mono printing, wool dying and encaustics being just a few of the media explored. Teachers have included Michelle Pasquin, Rosi Robinson, Janna Jacqulyn, Simon Copas and Franz Aeyelts.

The odds of winning the Art Centre lottery are better than most. Only 350 of the $100 tickets are being offered for this trip of a lifetime. Polar Star is offering accommodation for two in a K-2 double cabin with large windows and a private bathroom including shower, toilet and washbasin. All cruise meals and lectures aboard are included, as are all shore excursions leaving only personal expenses (including bar bill) to be paid. The converted ice breaker also offers a well-stocked library, bar, gym and onboard shop for the quiet moments at sea and between excursions. The observation lounge, bridge and outside deck areas provide incredible wildlife viewing opportunities. Tickets are available by calling the Art Centre at 275-5789. Full details of the trip can be found on the Polar Star Expeditions website:

www.polarstarexpeditions.com/antarctica/antarctica_subI.htm (Click on 'daily itinerary' for even more information.)

The cruise departs from Ushuaia, Argentina on February 28, 2010. Air, insurance, pre- and post- activities, hotels and transfers, and onboard charges for bar, shop, communication, laundry and medical not included. Passenger terms and conditions apply: no cruise substitution; embarkation and disembarkation in Ushuaia, Argentina; cannot be re-sold in any way. The retail value of this package is US $27,360 for two passengers.

The draw is scheduled for November 15th, but tickets are selling quickly so I would suggest you buy your tickets quickly, before we sell out, says Karen Hooper, executive director of the CAC. The moment we announced the raffle, people started asking for tickets. Some people are buying two, three or four tickets to increase their odds of winning. And we are getting interest from right across the community. Everybody loves the idea of a once-in-a-lifetime expedition to a once-in-a-lifetime destination. For a hundred bucks, she says with a grin.