Published: October 23, 2020 | Updated: October 26, 2020
Deb Kipper and her husband have lived in California their whole lives. For their retirement, they were looking for fresh air and a home base for traveling and considered an out-of-state move. When a friend suggested she buy a ticket for Norton Children’s Hospital Home & BMW Raffle last year, Deb did –– and she won a brand-new home in state she had never visited.
“It was happenstance,” she said. “We didn’t pick Kentucky as the state to live in … but it just happened.”
Deb and her husband were planning the California-to-Kentucky move when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Because of the pandemic, Deb decided it was best for them to put off the move to stay close to family. They’ve decided to keep the raffle house as a family vacation home for the next couple of years before making a more permanent move.
“We want our whole family to be able to go out there and explore more of that part of the country,” Deb said. “I think Kentucky is beautiful. We really like the seasons, and the weather’s great. The air is good. It’s a really nice place to visit, and the house is pretty extraordinary.”
They drove cross-country for the first time to visit their new Kentucky home earlier this fall.
“We drove 4,300 miles,” Deb said. “It was interesting to camp and see the country, going through New Mexico, Kansas and Missouri. It was so worth it; I don’t know if we’ll do that again.”
While in Kentucky, Deb and her husband made the most of their visit. They did some home projects, buying some furniture and decorations for the house. They also took some time to try one of Kentucky’s biggest exports: bourbon.
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“We actually got to hit a couple distilleries with some friends,” Deb said. “The tastings were really small and well-spaced and really fun. And because we were out in horse country, it was just so beautiful. The rolling hills, green everywhere. And it was just gorgeous. We tried to get to know the area more.”
Deb and her husband are looking forward to a post-COVID-19 world where they can go to the Kentucky Derby, as well as explore many of the nearby states, including Indiana and Ohio.
Deb says if you’re on the fence about purchasing a raffle ticket, that the odds are in your favor.
“I couldn’t think of a better cause than helping a children’s hospital,” Deb said. “And your odds are so much better than the lottery.”
Photo taken in 2019 when Deb Kipper closed on the 2019 Norton Children’s Hospital Home & BMW Raffle home at Limestone Title & Escrow.