Winner established foundation to use money to help others
Includes video report
One of two winners of the $687.8 million Powerball jackpot was revealed Monday as a woman from Redfield, Iowa who happened to buy a ticket as she was picking up a slice of pizza and coffee at a local store.
Lerynne West, 51, came forward as the winner during a news conference with the Iowa Lottery.
West, a mother of three daughters and grandmother of six children, said she is going to take the lump sum option of $198.1 million and plans to use the money to help her family and friends.
The first thing she plans to buy, however, is a new car big enough "to take all my grandchildren places now," she said.
(See Winners in Iowa, New York to share $687.8 million Powerball lottery jackpot, Lottery Post, Oct. 28, 2018.)
West had initially left the winning lottery ticket worth hundreds of millions of dollars on the floor of her sister's pickup truck.
It was a busy time. West had just closed on a home in Redfield in October, a few days before the Powerball drawing. While she was moving in, she and her sister stopped at a Casey's in town for pizza and coffee.
She bought a Powerball ticket and thought she put it in her purse. Instead it sat on the floor of her sister's pickup truck.
Iowa lottery officials introduced West, 51, at a news conference Monday as the Iowa winner of half the $687.8 million Powerball jackpot drawn Oct. 27.
Her split is $343.9 million. She said she chose the lump sum option, which will pay her a single payment of $198.1 million. A second winning ticket in New York has not been claimed.
"My girls and I used to dream of winning the lottery," West said. "Never thought I'd be here today."
West is an Iowa native who grew up mostly in Earlham and attended Earlham High School. She has lived in Dallas County much of her life.
The day after the drawing, West couldn't find the ticket, so she asked her sister to look for it.
The Powerball number matched.
But West figured it didn't mean anything. Her sister sent her a picture of the ticket — and West discovered on the lottery's website that she had won the jackpot.
She didn't believe it.
"I thought, 'I've done something wrong,'" West said.
After going back and forth, she realized she really did win the lottery. She told her sister to get in her truck with the ticket and "drive slow" to her home, she said.
From there, she continued to tell more family members, but none of them believed her.
"I called my daughter, and I told her I needed her to come out because I think I won the lottery, and she said, 'Oh, OK,'" West said.
West walked beans and detasseled corn in summer during her youth. She got a GED diploma in 1986, according to her biography, and worked in factories.
She took classes at night and over weekends while raising three daughters on her own to get a college degree. She started in the mailroom at Principal Financial Group in 2004, then got her Upper Iowa University degree in human resources in 2006. She held several jobs at Principal before taking a new job at Wellmark in September 2018 as a procurement analyst.
She decided to retire after winning the lottery a few weeks later.
Before winning the jackpot, when she had the money, she played twice a week. The most she ever won was $150.
Her family is setting up the Callum Foundation, named after her grandson Callum, who was born prematurely and lived just one day. The foundation's goals will be to make grants to help alleviate poverty and hunger and encourage education, animal welfare and help for veterans. West's father was a Vietnam War veteran.
"When I would dream about (the lottery) I would get all frivolous and have a whole lineup of cars that I was going to buy, and that's not the case anymore," West said. "Once you have won and you realize the responsibility and the impact you can make, all frivolity goes out the window."
Like most jackpot winners, West said she didn't have a strategy and she didn't pick her own numbers.
"If I was meant to win it, I was meant to win it," West said.
West has three adult daughters and six grandchildren. She also has seven siblings.
Redfield is a town of 800 people near Des Moines.
West and the New York winner matched the numbers 8, 12, 13, 19 and 27, and Powerball 4. The prize will be split between the two.
Casey's General Store, where the ticket was sold, will receive $10,000 from the Iowa Lottery.
VIDEO: Watch the press conference highlights
VIDEO: Watch the report
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Freakin Awesome
Huh, nice.
May have seen her at Principal, if it's in Urbandale.
Visit there once in a while for work.
Suddenly Life Just Got Easier! Congrats!
A very heart-warming story.
Congrats Lerynne !!! I truly hope you have a lifetime of happiness and success in helping others.... Course, leaving the ticket on the floor of your sisters truck wasn't a Kodak moment but at least your ticket stayed there and was located. It will be a great story to tell for years to come.
Casey's Store:
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.583961,-94.1955995,3a,26.9y,274.77h,85.37t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sSSPmFk8CDZlAdwKktyhQ3w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
Is Iowa one of those states that has a mandatory press conference for winners ?(not familiar with their rules) I did see where you can claim as an individual, group or via a trust.
Having a Foundation to be set up is very admirable. Telling the story was very enjoyable and a good education for all players to learn from. She is obviously a woman who believes in hard work, education and betterment of oneself.
Claiming within 8 days after the draw?...That one is not a path I would have chosen BUT I am not the winner of a huge jackpot(yet), nor am I in her shoes. Best of luck to you ms West.
Congratulations to Lerynne West!! Enjoy your big new car.
Slow down if you want to have money for the rest of your life.
Creating a the Callum Foundation is a smart move. Lerynne will not be the person who says NO to any undeserving beggar.
I like her stress-free view of winning.
"If I was meant to win it, I was meant to win it," West said.
Congratulations
A winner with a biographical details somewhat similar to Mavis Wanczyk's. Sometimes I really do wonder if Powerball and Mega Millions are psyops. Excuse me while I add more Reynold's Wrap to my hat.
Congrats Lerynne, no word on whether she is in a relationship, so brace yourself for a horde of " eligible bacholers" camping on your doorstep Ms West. Looked up this Town on the map, and it's a small place, looks like one could swing a cat with no effort whatsoever.She could turn out to be a savvy grandmother. Life is good.
I love this story and I think her charity will help a lot of people in real need. I also liked the fact that she eventually realized how important an education is and worked her way up into a good job. She seems savvy and polished so I am glad she won.
Her family is setting up the Callum Foundation, named after her grandson Callum, who was born prematurely and lived just one day. The foundation's goals will be to make grants to help alleviate poverty and hunger and encourage education, animal welfare and help for veterans. West's father was a Vietnam War veteran.
Can't say anything negative about this winner!
She seems to me that she has her wits about her. She definitely seemed poised in the video. G5
Congrats to you Lerynne West on your win.
It goes to show all players that it really does ONLY take ONE ticket to win!
However, always treat a lottery ticket as if it were cash. In this case, $343.9 mil.
That's not something I would leave floating around on a pick-up truck's floor!
Leaving it on the truck's floor
..... I was wondering "just how clean is that trucks floorboards" ?
Did it look like this ??
My advice to future winners. Slow down. Place your ticket inside either a fireproof safe or a bank's safe deposit box. A safe box.
Hire a Trust & Estate Attorney to create a living revocable trust.
You will also need an LLC. Limited Liability Company.
Plus personal umbrella insurance coverage is also known as excess liability coverage.
Do some research and learn your State's anonymous policy.
Personally, I will give the Press a written statement which will include my history here on Lottery Post and USAMEGA. Mentioning Todd Northrop our fearless leader. I will answer the questions that the press always asks like, "What will I do with the money?" "How did I stay under the radar?" My answers will be in the written statement.
Being an LP Member I have learned to not do the Media Availability nor the Celebrity Photo. Thank You to all of you guys.
Why is the amount different for the "lady" who just won the powerball .
she will recieve $198.1 million instead of 288 million .
It's always two different amount .
what is "Umbrella Insurance Coverage? I'm familiar with "LLC" .
Like the woman who won , Her lump sum option $198.1 million
But on Powerball Jackpot Analysis ....Her State says .....Cash Option ....$288
That's $288 million - 198millions = $90 millions different, .....Why is that ,
can somebody explain ? Thank you
Cash Option minus Federal Taxes. On top of that she will also owe State Taxes.
brees2012, Umbrella Insurance is also known as Excess Liability Insurance. This insurance will cover you if you are sued and your home and auto insurance will not cover you for any damages awarded to the person who is suing you. Before you claim your lottery prize talk to an insurance agent about this type of insurance. The agent will know how much insurance you need.
As a winner, you will be identified as "deep pockets" and could be targeted with false lawsuits.
An LLC stands for Limited Liability Company. This will legally keep you personally separated from the Company that you will need to create when you get an LLC. Talk to a CPA or an attorney and ask them the questions you have. A trust and asset attorney or a Certified Public Accountant CPA will know the answers to your questions.
I am just giving you heads up of what I believe is the correct path to protect your assets.
YouTube is another resource.
Congratulation to Lerynne West on her Powerball win. Her sister's truck is another story. Good story, Todd.
Good thing her sister didn't take the truck to the car wash and vacuum the interior first!
omg i know.
good 1 coin toss. yep... I truly am so happy some 1 in NYC spanish harlem they call it, had won who really need it i am sure of that. and i am happy for this
lady too! Only fifty or fifty one years old, in her early fifties= still YOUNG enough to have fun, help others as i love to do, to be able to then give so much to family(her loved ones) and help more, just relax, have fun! and enjoy life more with less stress, at such age, to spend/enjoy/invest and re-invest, retire early a man or woman's dream usually. ergo, i am so happy for her... Great to see this lady win. So happy for her. Just utilize it wisely.
Night to all LP members, out here tonight. Good luck wit' ur lottery games that you play this week." G-night.
I would have claimed anonymous and continued living my life; I'd never reveal to the public that I've won, honestly speaking...it's no one's business. Thankfully in MD you can remain anonymous.
It’s surprising how Lerynne West created a foundation (The Callum Foundation) and a website within 10 days of the drawing (October 27, 2018).
Why? It could be done. She never said it was fully up and running with all the paperwork filed, etc. If you read the info on the website, it said it is currently being established. A website can be created in a few hours. That website would also serve to keep fewer people from approaching her for money.
Thank you .....Music for your valuable information .
Thank you Redd55 for your information .
All states should be anonymous , I understand there's states already anonymous .
How can you avoid to be anonymous if your state has it where you've to face the media.
Can you've your Attorney turn the lottery ticket in ? There's many decisions to take
when winning the lottery .
The only way to be an anonymous winner living in a state that doesn't allow anonymous claims or claims through a trust is to buy your ticket in a state that does allow it. This is because you have to claim in the state where you purchased your ticket, and you are subject to that state's rules, not your home state's. The anonymous winner of the big pot in SC may well have been from a nearby state where anonymous claims are not permitted.
If it's too far to drive to one of the special states, then don't play.
I would rather go to a state where I can be anonymous. I live in a state where the winner's identity is public information.
"I would rather go to a state where I can be anonymous."
I'd prefer to buy tickets in an anonymous state, too, but the nearest store where I can do that is almost 50 miles away. Using the IRS' rate of 55 cents per mile it would cost me $55 and a couple of hours of my time to get them there. That's a pretty hefty premium, especially when the chances of turning a profit are less than 1 in 1000, even if I figure the cost of getting there means that buying 10 tickets is sensible.
The 55 cents/ mile is an amount the IRS allows you to deduct from your income on a profit & loss statement( Schedule C).
I don't think they would consider buying lottery tickets as part of doing business.
Even if you could remain officially anonymous, could you remain practically anonymous? As in, your neighbors don't know, your co-workers don't know, etc.? That gets more difficult as your winnings increase.
If you win hundreds of millions of dollars, that's impossible. Save yourself the time and money and buy tickets locally. The cost of moving is a drop in the bucket if you win big.
The less you flash
the longer you'll keep the cash
"The 55 cents/ mile is an amount the IRS allows you to deduct from your income on a profit & loss statement( Schedule C)."
Do you suppose there's a reason they settled on 55 cents per mile?
I won $4. Sure could have used that jackpot myself as an ill-timed investment has me living paycheck to paycheck with huge important basic expenses such as life, auto, health and dental insurance premiums, professional licensing renewal costs, and school fees for sub-6 year old children slamiming me at this time. But I would not for a minute consider petitioning any lottery winner for a "handout" as I believe in working my way out of my current predicament.
Great story. Still kicking around the idea of wearing a hilarious disguise for my press conference WHEN I finally win the jackpot! Any ideas on good disguises? Masks only...no facepaint as I would be wearing nice clothes and only would want to conceal my facial identity momentarily while cameras are flashing.
I have a simple solution: simply wear a mask to conceal your facial identity and move to a new residence. Everyone knows what Bill Gates, Mike Zuckerburg, Warren Buffett, Oprah Winfrey, Mark Cuban, and Jeff Bezos look like. I don't see them having any issues with people knowing that they are more than loaded.
The issue that people think this pose is that these winners will want to continue to hang around with the same people and live in the same residence as when they were working class like everyone else. I am sure that sooner rather than later, they will move. And eventually, they will find themselves moving in different social circles and traveling like wealthy people do...sometimes in coach but mostly in business and first class. Say goodbye to Motel 6's and hello to Waldorf Astoria's, Ritz Carltons, Proteas, J W Marriotts, Regis, Movenpick, and similar 5 star accommodations.
Her sister has nothing to worry about as she was honest and did right by her sister.
If I remember correctly Mavis Wanczyk also used the # 4 as her Power Ball number. Mavis said, "Her family uses the number 4 in keno".
Wonder when Todd will run the story on the Harlem man who just claimed the other half?