Well, I finally "bit" and went down and bought a ticket to the Power Ball drawing this evening. I came back home and tucked my ticket away and turned on the Channel 15 news. Coincidently, the two young weekend reporters were talking about the big drawing tonight, then they ran an interview piece about past big winners. I was shocked to learn that 70% of all big winners have gone bankrupt! WTF?
That shook me to my foundation! So, I sat back and gave some serious thought about what I'll do with that winning ticket sitting in front of me. Well, first, I won't do a thing. I'll report Monday morning and present my ticket and opt for the lump sum payment.
That should give me about $400,000,000 dollars. I'll then take my check and deposit it to my credit union account and let it sit for a few weeks. Having already thought this out, I plan to establish a $1 million dollar education fund for each of my young grandchildren. The ones who have already reached maturity will receive a million dollar trust fund, made available to them in monthly installments when they are 25. I do this so that they'll not sit back and wait for the money, but will pursue a career that will bring them both happiness and satisfaction. I will then pay off the home mortgages and all outstanding debts for all of my children as well as my brother and his wife....and I would buy my brother all the Giant and 49er sports garb that he wants!
I will also write million dollar checks to St. Jude's Children Research Hospital and the Humane Society.
At this point I will stop and evaluate my next moves. I will look closely at my circle of friends and the rest of my family. If I begin to receive calls from friends or family who haven't called me in the last ten years I'll immediately remove them from possible charity.
To my other dear ones, I'll look at each family and friend and decide how I can best improve their lives without having money and/or greed ruin their lives, giving money where it would do the most good.
My wife wants to establish a charity in Vietnam. It would support Vietnam war veterans and the country's orphans. She would like to dedicate the rest of her life to ease the pain and suffering of those most vulnerable. I would write her a check for tens of millions in order for her to achieve these lofty goals.
I would then donate my fifty-three year old house and buy two modest homes, no more than 2,000 square feet and furnished modestly with art deco and danish furniture; perhaps one in Florida, the other in Virginia where I could see my grandkids as much as I like. Once re-settled, I would coordinate my time with my family's schedule and we would all set out to complete a bucket list I wrote a while back; taking them to places I most wish for them to see in their lifetimes. What a joyous trip that would be!
I would set up a charity that supports the educations of the most hard-working young people in our country. One of the fields that would receive scholarship support would be for those who are willing to become animal vets.
Lastly, I would buy one brand spanking new Mini-RV like I used to own and I would hit America's roads to see this great country one more time before I pass on.
Hey, someone's got to have the winning ticket!....it just might be this one sitting in front of me at the moment.
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