Ron and Donna Ritchie’s Saturday morning routine paid off.
The Vernon couple’s routine usually involves coffee, a trip to Safeway to check the previous night’s lottery draw and then a grocery shop.
Their routine was broken after the Vernon couple saw $1,000,000 appear on the screen at the lottery retailer.
The groceries were forgotten as the couple celebrated and congratulated themselves on the win
“It’s us! It’s us!” Donna recalled yelling. “The feeling is unbelievable. We were so excited we forgot all about the groceries.”
The couple matched 7/7 numbers on Friday’s Lotto Max draw to win one of the 30 Maxmillions available. The ticket was purchased at Charlie’s Grocery on 32nd Avenue in Vernon.
“It’s a dream come true,” added Ron, 59, a City of Vernon employe. “We won the lottery. The decision to purchase a lottery ticket changed our entire life.”
The couple plans to share their winnings with their children, pay off their mortgage and renovate their Vernon home.
“I’m retired as of yesterday,” announced Donna, 55, a now former Morning Star employee. “It feels great.”
The Vernon couple’s ticket is one of two million-dollar picks from the Interior.
Dorothy Lahola of Kamloops also became an instant millionaire from the Saturday Lotto 6/49.
Meanwhile, the Lotto Max jackpot is still unclaimed, therefore it rolls over to this week’s grandprize – an estimated $50 million plus an estimated 50 Maxmillion prizes of $1 million each.
See full story in Wednesday’s issue of The Morning Star.
