$300K win brings Atlanta foster mom sunshine
Friday, June 24, 2011
ATLANTA – For 21 years an Atlanta foster mother has cared for children she’s considered her own. On the eve of her 72nd birthday, the Georgia Lottery will be taking care of her.
Bonnie Gunter, who celebrates her birthday June 25, has won a $300,000 top prize playing the instant game Lotta Bucks. Gunter’s husband, Rene Jimenez, purchased the ticket and gave it to her.
“I started crying,” she said. “I just feel overwhelmed, and I’m very grateful.”
Gunter has three foster children, four adopted children, four biological children and four grandchildren. She also has operated an in-home daycare for the past 34 years.
“We’re going to catch up on bills,” she said. “We don’t have any big plans. We haven’t even talked about spending because it’s such a gift.”
Dunwoody Chevron, 3500 Ashford Dunwoody Road N.E. in Atlanta, sold the winning ticket.
Since its first year, the Georgia Lottery Corp. has returned more than $12.5 billion to the state of Georgia for education. All Georgia Lottery profits go to pay for specific educational programs, including Georgia’s HOPE Scholarship Program and Georgia’s Pre-K Program. More than 1.3 million students have received HOPE, and more than 1.1 million 4-year-olds have attended the statewide, voluntary prekindergarten program.
For more information on the Georgia Lottery Corp., please visit:
www.galottery.com and www.lotterybenefitsgeorgians.com
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Tandi Reddick
Media Relations Manager
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