Gary McKinley, veteran and retired middle school math teacher, is celebrating his $160,000 win after playing Hit 5. He purchased the winning ticket at Triple D Corner Market in Goldendale (1100 E Broadway St).
“I went into town with eight or nine tickets,” he said. “I won a dollar, then checked my next ticket and saw $160 and thought, ‘Not bad!’ Then I saw the extra zeroes and thought it couldn’t be right, so I went to the cashier and he was so excited.”
McKinley joined the military when he was 19 years old and served two combat tours in Vietnam. After he retired in 1988, he earned his master’s degree and taught middle school math for 20 years. “I still keep in contact with some of my students,” he said. “We’re friends on Facebook and some have kids in middle school now.” These days McKinley lives on a ranch with a few horses. “There’s not a whole lot to do here but I like to play lottery. I’ve never won before.”
As for what he plans to do with his winnings, McKinley told lottery officials that once he’s paid his bills, he will donate a portion to the local food bank in Goldendale.
Proceeds from Washington’s Lottery benefit the Washington Opportunity Pathways Account, providing grants to college students statewide. To learn more about Washington’s Lottery, its beneficiaries and to review all up-to-date winning numbers, please visit www.walottery.com.
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WASHINGTON’S LOTTERY: Since 1982, Washington’s Lottery has generated more than $4.2 billion to support important state programs including the Washington Opportunity Pathways Account. Money in the Pathways Account goes toward helping students achieve their higher education dreams and supports early childhood education learning programs. The state’s Lottery offers consumers several types of games: Mega Millions, Powerball, Lotto, Hit 5, Match 4, Daily Game, Daily Keno and Scratch. For more information, visit www.walottery.com or join our online community on Facebook at www.facebook.com/walottery and follow us on Twitter @walottery and Instagram @walottery.
Press Contact
Delaney Berreth (Curator on behalf of Washington’s Lottery)
E-mail: Delaney.berreth@curatorpr.com