Geoff Bourdon likes pushing himself every year with designing and handcrafting a one-of-a-kind piece of jewellery raising funds for the Cariboo Memorial Hospital Foundation.
Since 2009 the fourth generation owner of Woodland Jewellers has annually designed an exquisite raffle prize that has now raised $190,000 for the not-for-profit to purchase medical equipment for the Cariboo Memorial Hospital.
This year’s prize is an 18-karat yellow gold ring featuring a teal sapphire accented with champagne diamonds. It is valued at $9,900.
“If we sell out the tickets we’re going to break over the $200,000 mark for fundraisers,” said Woodland Jewellers manager and bookkeeper, Kendal Bourdon, who is also Geoff’s wife.
About 30 hours of fabrication to make the ring was spent by Geoff who also mixed the 18-karat gold. He spent months, however, in advance on the design process.
“I normally always start with the gemstone,” Geoff said, adding he believes his work should always complement the gemstone that is the centre of the piece.
“If there’s a gemstone that I really want to work with then the design comes from the gemstone. Even this year the shape of the ring is a reflection of the cut of the gemstone, and the colours having the fancy natural round diamonds in the yellow gold brings out a lot of the green and the teal in the sapphire.”
Each piece of jewellery he has presented in the annual raffle prize since 2009 is unique with Geoff pushing himself each year to do something he has either not technically or in style done before.
Geoff’s family has owned and operated Woodland Jewellers since 1933 when E.G. Tony Woodland brought his watch maker skills to Williams Lake and has a long history of being involved with the local hospital.
He said his great-grandparents were part of the original hospital.
“My grandparents had stories as kids being there and their job to keep the fire going in the wood stove at the hospital, so there’s some sentiment on our side for the history that’s in it as well as we use it,” Geoff said, adding he and Kendal have young children.
Out of them all he said he is the one that probably goes to the Cariboo Memorial Hospital most from playing sports, getting a chuckle from Kendal.
“They just continued to find ways to help the community out, and everybody is going to use the hospital at one point or another,” Kendal said, noting Geoff’s four generations of family including his grandfather Ralph Woodland, aunt Cindy Watt and mother Brenda Bourdon.
“So it’s an important one.”
A total of 600 tickets at $20 each are available for this year’s annual raffle.
The ring can be viewed at Woodland Jewellers located in downtown Williams Lake at 150 Oliver Street Tuesday through Saturday until Nov. 21. Those who can’t make it to the store in-person to purchase a ticket can call the store at 250-392-5423 or send a message through Facebook to arrange an e-transfer. You must be a B.C. resident and age 19 years or older to purchase a ticket.
Woodland Jewellers said the winning ticket will be drawn at 9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, at the “Greatest Show On Earth” themed Cariboo Memorial Hospital Foundation Gala taking place at Sacred Heart Hall located in Williams Lake at 455 Pigeon Ave. Those who acquired tickets do not have to be at the gala to win.
Cariboo Memorial Hospital Foundation presents the 2026 Ticket Raffle in Celebration of Woodland Jewellers Ltd. 93rd Anniversary
BC Gaming Licence No. 177169.
1 in 600 chance of winning.
Know your limit, play within it. 19+