Powerball Winners Give Back: Winners of $587M Jackpot Buy Town Fire Station, Ball Field (PHOTO, VIDEO)
Powerball winners who won half a $587 million jackpot in November have been giving back to their local community in a big way.
Mark and Cindy Hill won half of the largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history last year, however, instead of letting the money completely turnover their lives they have maintained a modest lifestyle and even Mark still meets friends for his morning coffee and a local convenience store, according to a Reuters report.
It is said that the Hills received just under $140 million as a lump sum payment after taxes, but they have not let the money go to their heads.
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Walt Stubbs, a friend and former high school classmate has told Reuters: "They are very conservative people. They are doing some really nice things for the community and they've taken care of their family."
The Hills have also decided to let their hometown benefit from their good fortune; they have been donating substantial amounts of money to civic projects in Camden Point, Missouri.
It is said that the jackpot winners will pay for a new Camden Point fire station and ball field to help significantly change the face of the town. The Hills have already donated more than $50,000 to purchase land for a new sewage treatment plant that will eventually allow residents to give up individual septic tanks, Mayor Kevin Boydston said, according to Reuters.
The mayor said, "I've said all along that these lottery winnings could not have gone to a better couple. They are giving back to the community, just like they said they would."
"I'm real proud of them," said Shirley Hill, Mark Hill's mother. "They have stayed grounded. That's their nature."
Missouri Lottery spokeswoman Susan Goedde has said that generally if lottery winners were good money managers before winning, they would be after as well: "Circumstances may change, they may not work anymore and they have the freedom to travel. But if they clipped coupons before winning the lottery, they will do it after winning."
Here is a video of the Hill family after their lottery win:
