Horseheads Lottery Winner: $1,000,000 Will Help Put Gas In The Tank

SCHENECTADY, NY (05/22/2008)(readMedia)-- New York’s newest Lottery Millionaire, Judy Youmans of Horseheads, Chemung County, said her $1,000,000 prize should help her afford a few of life’s little luxuries…like a full tank of gas.

“I dread driving into the (gas) station,” said the 62-year-old winner of the $1,000,000 top prize on the Lottery’s Liberty’s Millions scratch off game. “I still can’t bear to look at the cost, but maybe now I can afford to fill up the tank.”

Youmans said she doesn’t do much driving beyond the 15-minute commute between her home in Horseheads and home away from home for the past 38 years, the P&C Food Market on Cedar St. in Elmira. “But,” laughed the driver of a ’97 Hyundai, “You don’t need to go far to feel the pinch.”

When asked if she had any travel plans for the upcoming long holiday weekend, Youmans said she’d like to go somewhere she hasn’t been in a while, “like the mall.”

Youmans said she and her husband Jerry, a delivery driver for Penosian’s Furniture in Horseheads, were anxious to get past all the extra attention they’ve received since news of their $1,000,000 windfall began buzzing around town last week. The couple said they looked forward to getting back to life as usual, which includes returning to work.

“We’re going to continue to live our normal, everyday lives,” she said. “Nothing will change.”

Youmans received the first installment of her $1,000,000 windfall at the Express Mart on South Main St. in Horseheads where she purchased her winning ticket on May 9, 2008. She claimed her ticket at the Lottery’s Customer Service Center in Syracuse the same day. The mother of one will receive her prize as $50,000 a year for 20 years, less required tax withholdings. Her annual net check will total $34,075.

Youmans is one of nine New York Lottery players from Chemung County to receive a prize check worth $1,000,000 or more. Other recent winners include Annette Cobb of Elmira who won $1,000,000 on the Lottery’s Win for Life instant game in 2005 and Ginnie Bogaczyk of Elmira who won $5,000,000 on the Set for Life instant game in 2006.

The New York Lottery contributed nearly $2.6 billion to help support education in New York State on incoming revenues of $7.549 billion in fiscal year 2007-08 - - a profit margin of 34.3%. The New York Lottery continues to be North America’s largest and most profitable Lottery, earning over $34.2 billion in education support statewide since its founding over 40 years ago.

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