Chasing the Queen of Hearts for charity

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — A Sioux Falls business has patrons chasing the Queen of Hearts to benefit a pair of local nonprofits.

JJ’s Wine, Spirits & Cigars is hosting a familiar game of chance. Uncover the Queen of Hearts and win a jackpot, while also giving back to a local nonprofit.

“We have a number of charities that we do some work with from an event basis and this was just another piece to the puzzle that we were looking to add,” JJ’s Wine, Spirits & Cigars owner Tom Slattery said.

JJ’s owner Tom Slattery says the top prize started at $5,000 and has grown quickly over the past three weeks.

“The money gets bigger and more and more people tend to gravitate towards that windfall of cash,” Slattery said.

“This week, we should be over $7,000 by the time we do our drawing tonight,” Ronald McDonald House community outreach officer Mike Broderick said.

The money raised through the Queen of Hearts game will benefit Dakota Dachshund Rescue and Ronald McDonald House Charities.

“This event means the world to us,” Broderick said.

Mike Broderick is with Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Dakota.

“The Ronald McDonald House provides comforts of home to families with sick and injured kids in the hospital,” Broderick said.

“What we’re trying to do is save them all one dog at a time,” Dakota Dachshund Rescue’s Rodger Lacy said.

Rodger Lacy and his wife have fostered about 100 dogs over the years. He’s also part of the Dakota Dachshund Rescue board of directors.

“This last year we spent over $150,000 as a charity vetting the dogs,” Lacy said.

A number to help stress the importance of this fundraiser.

“Every dog that comes in we make sure they’re spayed, we make sure they have all of their shots, we make sure they’ve had a full dental,” Lacy said.