Kathy Weaving and Amy Gillies were positive their VantageOne Credit Union lottery group was going to be miffed.
In charge of the financial institution’s monthly lottery pool since 1996, Weaving and Gillies broke from the norm of buying Lotto Max, Lotto 649, B.C. 49 and the extra tickets and decided to take $25 and buy scratch tickets.
Without the group’s knowledge.
On the first of two Monday coffee breaks, Weaving scratched two of the tickets. Nothing.
“The first two were duds and Amy kept saying, ‘Ohhhh they’re going to kill us, they’re going to kill us,’” said Weaving.
The lives of the two women based out of the main VantageOne branch in downtown Vernon – both celebrating their 20th anniversaries with the company this year – were spared.
During the afternoon coffee break, Gillies scratched the other tickets and found one – a Cash Multiplier ticket – showing the group had won $100,000.
“She scratched the first one and said words I can’t repeat,” laughed Weaving.
Added Gillies: “On the second one, I thought it was $1,000. Then I took the rest off and I was like, ‘Oh my God!’ Could this be real? I was reading the back of the ticket to make sure I understood the rules.”
A total of 41 employees take home about $2,400 each from Weaving and Gillies’ bold move.
The group lottery pool is open to all VantangeOne employees at all branches. Weaving sends out an e-mail in November every year inviting staff to opt in or opt out of the pool.
“We’ve now had people asking to join our group since the win,” said Gillies.
Said Weaving: “People have been supportive and excited for us, or kicking themselves for not joining.”
In the nearly 18 years the ladies have been doing the lottery, the biggest win for them has been about $1,000.
“Last year, I think our payout was about $10,” joked Gillies.
The winning ticket was bought in Vernon across the street from the downtown VantageOne branch at the Chevron Town Pantry on 32nd Street, sold to the ladies by Mel Kilcup – the biggest lottery winning ticket he’s ever sold.
“We go all over the place to buy tickets,” said Gillies. “If we’re going to Vancouver, we’ll stop at the little store in Falkland, or Kamloops or Merritt. We’ve gone to Spokane and have stopped in Beaverdell and Rock Creek. We stop at little stores thinking maybe our odds will be better.”
Gillies believes there’s more winning in store for the group.
“The big one is coming,” she smiled. “We are so confident of it.”
