Carolyn Charnock, left, Deborah Rutherford, Jordan Williams, Carla Curry and Brenda Rader will share a $1 million lottery prize.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Five co-workers from the Kanawha County Emergency Ambulance Authority are the state’s latest winners of the $1 million Mega Millions prize.
West Virginia Lottery Director John Musgrave introduced the “Fabulous Five” at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon.
The winners, who will each receive $137,000, are Brenda Rader, of South Charleston; Carla Curry, of Marmet; Jordan Williams, of Shrewsbury; Deborah Rutherford, of St. Albans, and Carolyn Charnock, of Charleston.
This was the first time the women played the lottery as a group. Each of the five ladies kicked in $5 to purchase a total of 25 tickets. Rader purchased their lucky ticket, which matched five numbers from the Jan. 9 Mega Millions drawing. The ticket was purchased at 1:01 p.m. Jan. 7 at the One Stop 101 in South Charleston.
“This is exciting for us and our families,” Rader said. “Winning was the last thing on our minds. We are ready to play again.”
Had they paid an extra $1 for the Megaplier option, the prize of $1 million would have increased to $5 million.
However, the women are content with their winnings and each has a plan to use the money wisely.
Williams, a December graduate of West Virginia University Institute of Technology, made her first student loan payment the same day she chipped in on lottery tickets.
“Now I can go to graduate school without worrying about student loans…
