Mark and Cindy Hill of Camden Point, lottery winning Missouri couple, have proven that winning lots of money doesn’t necessarily change people. The couple won half of the largest Powerball lottery jackpot in US History. Back in November 2012, the Hills realized they were part winners of the $587 million Powerball jackpot. After opting for a lump-sum payment and net of all the taxes, the couple took home at least $136.5 million. However, unlike other lottery winners, not much has changed with the Missouri couple.
No dramatic changes
Mark quit his job as a mechanic after the win. Just like other big time lottery winners, he also bought a vehicle, but instead of a Camaro sports car, he went with a more practical pickup truck. Their enormous win hasn’t altered their lives that drastically. The lotto winning couple still lives in Dearborn, Missouri, where they had a home prior to becoming millionaires. Mark still hangs out with his friends for some coffee at a nearby convenience store in the mornings.
Sharing their wins
The local community is sharing the spoils of the massive lottery win of the Hills.
“They are giving back to the community, just like they said they would,” beamed the Mayor of Dearborn, Kevin Boydston.
The citizens of Camden Point will get a brand new fire station, courtesy of the Hills. The chief of the volunteer fire department declared that the new fire station would have a better location since it will be connected to the main roads. This will allow the fire fighters to respond much more quickly to emergencies. The current fire hall of the town is not readily accessible to the highway and main roads.
If the city were left to its own resources, it would have taken at least 25 years for Dearborn to build the new fire department.
The city will also get a new ball field, courtesy of the Hills.
Aside from this, the Hills donated over $50,000 for the city to purchase additional land to be used for the construction of a new sewage treatment plant. This will enable the residents of the city to move from individual septic tanks to a city-wide sewage system.
The couple’s alma mater will also receive a generous gift from the Hills. The couple has given to the scholarship fund of The North Platte High School in Dearborn.
Breaking the curse of lottery winners
The example that the Hills have shown is a marked contrast from the lives of other lottery winners. According to the National Endowment for Financial Education, about 70% of people who come into a large sum of money eventually don’t get to keep the cash and are likely to lose it within a short period of time. This is due to their lack of financial knowledge and lottery winners often face tremendous pressure from their loved ones.
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