Lucky locals split state jackpot win

MONTROSE — They’ve sold their share of lottery tickets to others, but Saturday, seven employees at Phillips 66 picked a winner themselves.

The employees — Janet Black, Cheryl Pace, Diane Claice, Michelle Kaiser, Dave Bruce, Ed McGee and Carl Teague — threw in $2 to buy state and Powerball lottery tickets.

Sunday, Black realized something huge: They’d hit the state jackpot of $5.1 million with numbers 2, 9, 14, 16, 19 and 28.

“My first thought was, ‘Thank you, God,’” Black said Tuesday, just before the start of her shift at the Phillips 66 Food Plaza and Car Wash on East Main. “Then it was ‘Oh, my God.’ When Ed found out I wasn’t kidding, he about threw me through the ceiling.”

The filling station was abuzz Tuesday, with customer after customer greeting the winners and congratulating them — and the store was doing brisk business, including in lottery sales.

The employees’ Saturday ticket was one of two in the state to match the jackpot numbers, making the ticket’s value $2.54 million. Pace said they’d chosen the cash payout option, which translates to $1.27 million ($904,000 after taxes) split seven ways.

“It’s good,” McGee said. “It’s not enough to retire, but it is enough to get ahead.”

McGee went with Black on a helicopter to pick up the check at Lottery headquarters in Pueblo. He said a customer who was a helicopter pilot offered them the ride.

“I still don’t believe it yet,” Pace said. “I guess I’ll believe it when I have the check in my hand.”

The seven employees began playing lottery about six weeks ago, each contributing $2 to an office pool that was used to buy three state lotto quick picks, for two draws, and four Powerball (multi-state lottery) quick picks.

Black says the good luck didn’t come as a complete surprise to her.

“I knew we were going to win. I had a dream and that’s why I started the pool. Everyone here needs it,” she said.

Black said two of the women who won are dealing with medical issues, including Claice, who was not available for an interview because she was tending to a family emergency. One of the men who won also has medical problems, Black said, and is caring for his grandson.

“This is a good time,” Pace said. “Everyone was strapped for money here.”

Pace, Black and McGee all said they planned to continue working. They have plans for their winnings.

Pace said shopping is now on her weekend agenda and she and her husband will probably purchase their dream camper.

“I’d never won anything,” she said. “People do realize it (winning Lotto) does happen. We work everyday, like everyone else. We’re normal people.”

McGee said he will pay off his house and wants to see a NASCAR race.

“Then it will be business as usual — minus the car payment and house payment,” he said.

Black said she would help out her children and bank the rest of her winnings as a retirement nest egg.

“I’m in shock, but it’s a wonderful shock,” she said.