There’s something lucky about this lake and the valley it sits in.

An Invermere woman is more than halfway to being a millionaire after checking a BC Lotto ticket as an afterthought, and finding her decision to say “yes” to the Extra was a wise one indeed.

The winner of $500,000 was floored by the lucrative discovery, sharing the excitement with Skookum Inn co-owner Jane Tames, who’s seen more than her reasonable share of winners claiming cash at her Windermere establishment, which also recently awarded prizes to the millionth customers at the store.

Luck played a huge role in what could have been a catastrophic incident on the lake last Saturday morning, when an apparently drunk driver smashed into an ice fishing shack. Thankfully, it was unoccupied, and fishers on the scene acted fast to gather some photographic evidence and ensure the driver was detained. (Be sure to read more about this in Friday’s edition of The Pioneer.)

For local ski racer Ben Thomsen, a bit of local luck travelled with him to Kitzbühel, Austria, where he skied a terrific run on the reknowned Hahnenkamm downhill course, and endured a few nail-biting moments before confirming he’d hung on to his 12th-place finish — the results he’s needed for months in order to qualify for the Canadian ski team competing at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

And let’s not forget Rusty Peterson, who pulled in the catch of the day with just four minutes remaining to win the 14th annual Ice Fishing Derby put on by the Kinsmen Club just last Saturday.

We’re all lucky in our own way — to live here, to have the physical abilities to enjoy what this valley has to offer, and to enjoy this idyllic location away from the strife that afflicts so much of the globe. Let’s celebrate the fact we live here, and share in the victories of those who make us proud.