ALTOONA, Pa. -- An office pool of 15 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) workers won a $10 million Powerball drawing in West Virginia last week.
The winning ticket was purchased at a Sheetz convenience store in Charles Town, W.Va., where the "FEMA Team" had been loyal lottery customers for years. The winning numbers were randomly chosen for a drawing held June 29.
The winners opted for the $5.8 million cash option, with Debbie Bucher of Winchester, Va., claiming the prize on behalf of the 15 workers. Each of the 15 winners [image-nocss] received $388,048.12 before taxes.
West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin and Sheetz representatives were on hand to present the winners with an oversized check made payable to the "FEMA TEAM," on July 13 in Charleston, W.Va.
Sheetz is a leading lottery retailer in West Virginia, it said, selling a record $3.35 million in lottery products in their 23 stores last year, generating nearly $1 million in revenue for the state. As compensation for selling lottery tickets, retailers are paid a bonus by the lottery commission for selling winning tickets.
To share this good fortune with the Charles Town community, Sheetz presented $10,000 to St. Jude Children's Hospital on behalf of the employees from Sheetz Store No. 240.
Sheetz District Manager Ramona Kitt said employees at the store were in unanimous agreement to donate to the children's hospital. As the check was presented to Julie Janes, regional representative for St. Jude's, Kitt said her company's enthusiasm is twofold. "While celebrating with the winners, we are grateful for the opportunity to be able to share with St. Jude's. We're thrilled for our customers; and we're thrilled for the children of St. Jude's."
The FEMA Team has been buying lottery tickets together as a group for more than five years. They have hit winning numbers a few times in the past, but nothing of this magnitude.
Sheetz operates more than 300 convenience locations throughout Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, Ohio and North Carolina.
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