Friday, March 23, 2007 11:22 PM CDT
Couple who won $3.25 million Lotto prize in Windsor will keep on working
By NATHANIEL WEST, Staff Writer
nwest@jg-tc.com
WINDSOR -- Other than replacing the roof on their home, buying a used car and making a few more trips to area theatrical productions, Frank and Diana Hinz said they won’t change their hardworking lifestyle -- even though they just won $3.25 million in the Illinois Lottery.
The Cowden couple and lottery officials announced the windfall during a press conference Friday at the Casey’s General Store in Windsor, where the Hinzes purchased the winning Lotto ticket earlier this month.
They said they intend to invest most of the prize, which they will collect in a lump sum. Lottery officials previously said this will total about $1.17 million once taxes are deducted.
“It’s only a million, and a million doesn’t go very far these days,” said Frank Hinz, 60.
He and his wife said they will both continue to work the second shift at the Hydro-Gear transmission factory. After all, their 45-minute commute from the Sullivan plant to Cowden led to their lottery success.
On the evening of March 5, the Hinzes stopped at the Windsor Casey’s store to observe what had become almost a tradition: Fill up their vehicle, buy some “breakfast” pizza slices and pick up some $1 quick-pick Lotto tickets.
They procured three such tickets that night. When they got home at about midnight, they checked the Illinois Lottery Web site for the latest numbers in the MegaMillion drawing.
“We didn’t win that, so I said, ‘Well, let’s check our (Lotto) numbers,’” said Diana Hinz, 57.
Her husband recalled, “I was holding the ticket and she was reading the numbers. I (said), ‘Oh my!’”
The couple verified the Lotto numbers elsewhere on the Web site, and then traveled to the lottery’s Springfield headquarters on March 15 to confirm their bounty.
They managed to keep it a secret -- even from their three adult children -- until a couple of days later, when the Hinzes presented their family members with an oversized souvenir lottery check.
“I think it’s fantastic,” said son Frank Edward Hinz of Altamont, who attended Friday’s press conference in Windsor.
“My parents have worked hard all their lives, and to have something like this come down for them, it’s just great.”
The Hinzes waited to go public with their good news until they consulted with a professional financial planner. But that didn’t stop the word from getting out in the small town of Cowden, they said.
People there are “very congratulatory,” said Mrs. Hinz. “Everybody’s happy for us, and we’re happy for us too.”
She and her husband have made some minor changes, at least so they can sleep during the day before going to work. “We did have to take the phone off the hook,” said Mrs. Hinz.
Frank Hinz indicated he wants to fulfill his longtime dream of owning a Chrysler PT Cruiser, albeit a low-mileage one.
The couple will also make repairs to their aging Buick LeSabre, and contribute to college funds for their grandchildren. The Hinzes will increase the frequency of their patronage at Sullivan’s Little Theatre on the Square as well.
Otherwise, the lion’s share of their lottery proceeds will be used to generate more revenue, they said.
“They’re doing the right thing -- getting professional advice, (and) investing,” said Mike Lang, public service administrator for the Illinois Lottery.
Frank Edward Hinz added that he approves of his parents’ decision. “In this day and age, it’s nice to have a nest egg,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Casey’s store in Windsor will benefit from the Hinzes’ blessing, as the store will receive a $32,500 bonus for selling the winning ticket.
Mrs. Hinz noted that some of her co-workers said they intend to play the lottery more often now.
And even though the $3.25 million Lotto prize has been awarded, another jackpot quadruple in size remains unclaimed. In September, a $12.25 million ticket was sold at a convenience station in Greenup, less than an hour’s drive south of Windsor.
That ticket will expire one year after its purchase.
Contact Nathaniel West at nwest@jg-tc.com or 238-6860.
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 KEN TREVARTHAN (JG/T-C)
Oakland firefighters staged their battle Saturday at the front of the former Inn on the Square in Oakland.
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Stephen wrote on Jul 17, 2006 8:22 AM: