$1 million Ohio lottery winner ready to give back

Jan 11, 2013, 8:18 am (15 comments)

Ohio Lottery

HAMILTON, Ohio — An Ohio woman who just won a large lottery jackpot wants to buy a truckload of toilet paper.

Regina Jackson doesn't want to buy this for herself, mind you, but for a charitable organization she grew dependent on over a seven-month period in 2008 after she was temporarily laid off from her customer service job at Cinmar in West Chester, Ohio.

Last week, Jackson's fortunes turned considerably after she won $1 million in the Ohio Lottery New Year's Raffle.

Jackson doesn't expect her life to change much, but she wants to give back to Reach Out Lakota, a nonprofit that provides food, clothing and necessities to needy Butler County, Ohio, residents.

"If it wasn't for them, we wouldn't have been eating," Jackson said of Reach Out Lakota. "My mother, who I live with, had enough to cover the rent, the gas, the electric, the phone, but not the food."

There was no money for other necessities, including toilet paper.

"That is the one thing that people don't realize until they don't have it," Jackson said. "At Reach Out Lakota, you only get two rolls of toilet paper and a roll of paper towels (monthly). If I could buy them a truckload I would, but I will just donate them money instead."

Jackson, 60, still lives with her 81-year-old mother, Doris Dromboski. She is divorced and has one son, Robert, who lives in Seattle.

Jackson was one of four $1 million winners Jan. 2 in the Ohio Lottery New Year's Raffle game. After federal and state taxes, Jackson next month will receive a lump sum of $710,000. According to the Ohio Lottery, the odds of winning the grand prize were 1 in 125,000.

To win the grand prize, ticket holders had to match six single-digit numbers (0-9) in order. Jackson's numbers, chosen by a computer, were 084920.

She also plans to donate to the Faith Community United Methodist Church in West Chester, which also helped Jackson when she was laid off.

"We are very appreciative for the help we received," said Dromboski. "Why wouldn't we want to give back? It is just the right thing to do, so they can provide food for someone else in need."

Jackson, an animal lover, said she also will donate to the Resource & Spay/Neuter Clinic in Madisonville, Ohio, and the Animal Friends Humane Society in Hamilton, Ohio.

Even though Jackson returned to Cinmar in August 2008, the family continued to struggle financially. That is, until last Thursday, when a cashier scanned Jackson's lottery ticket.

"It said 'winner, winner' when she scanned it and she asked me, 'How much do you think you won?' " Jackson said. "I told her, 'I would love for it to be $1,000, but I would happy if it was $100.' "

"How about a million?" the cashier asked.

Jackson thought it was a joke until the cashier showed her the ticket.

"After she showed me, I just didn't know what to say," Jackson said. "I am still in shock."

Jackson called her mother and told her to sit down.

"When people tell me to sit down it's usually bad news," her mother said. "I had been praying for some extra money, but I wasn't praying for that much."

Cincinnati Enquirer

Comments

dallascowboyfan's avatardallascowboyfan

Congratulations Ms. Jackson you are a good women to want to give back to those that helped you & your familin when you were in need.... May GOD continue to bless you.Hurray!

Jill34786's avatarJill34786

Congratulations to her! I do hope that she realizes that additional Federal taxes will be owed by next year...roughly another 140k.

Nikkicute's avatarNikkicute

Thank you for being an honest cashier whoever you are!!

Nice of Mrs. Jackson to pay it forward!!

luckyshoes's avatarluckyshoes

If this is the Regina Jackson I think it is....You lucky girl ! You deserved it. What goes around comes around. Banana

HaveABall's avatarHaveABall

Congratulations on your very tidy lottery jackpot win, Ms. Regina Jackson! Noel

rdgrnr's avatarrdgrnr

She sounds like a nice lady, God bless her.

Piaceri

Awe, what a great story. What a treat to hear stories like this one. God bless you, Ms Jackson! Smile

jeffrey's avatarjeffrey

Quote: Originally posted by dallascowboyfan on Jan 11, 2013

Congratulations Ms. Jackson you are a good women to want to give back to those that helped you & your familin when you were in need.... May GOD continue to bless you.Hurray!

i live a few blocks from her. i hope she saves her money for the future. i know she needs it.

jamella724

God is good to her.  She is kind-hearted and ready to share her winnings.  She knows how to give back to those people who also helped her when she were so down.  Now that she have some, I adore her that she plans to share her winnings.

You are awesome Mrs. Jackson.

sully16's avatarsully16

Awesome lady, congrats on your win.

Ronnie316

Quote: Originally posted by rdgrnr on Jan 11, 2013

She sounds like a nice lady, God bless her.

She sounds like a real ass wipe to me. She is 60 years old and still lives at home with her Mom?. I say that within a year of two she will be "struggling" for money again.......

rdgrnr's avatarrdgrnr

Quote: Originally posted by Ronnie316 on Jan 13, 2013

She sounds like a real ass wipe to me. She is 60 years old and still lives at home with her Mom?. I say that within a year of two she will be "struggling" for money again.......

I'd say she might have been living with her mother for her mother's benefit at 81 years old.

Or they may have found it better to share expenses if they were both alone, nothing wrong with that.

I took my mother in in her 80's too and I'd gladly do it again.

I only wish I could.

Ronnie316

Quote: Originally posted by rdgrnr on Jan 13, 2013

I'd say she might have been living with her mother for her mother's benefit at 81 years old.

Or they may have found it better to share expenses if they were both alone, nothing wrong with that.

I took my mother in in her 80's too and I'd gladly do it again.

I only wish I could.

Maybe, maybe not...... I wish her all the best.

DG1USA

Ms. Jackson is truly an Angel. God Bless her. Hurray!

I hope she wins again and stays safe.

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