When we think about what we are going to do with the money when we hit the lottery, our desires probably are very similar. I don’t know about you, but I plan to buy a very luxurious house and decorate it with very expensive cars. My guess is that if you are honest, your plans probably are similar to mine even if you won’t admit it out loud.
But there are some very inspiring stories of generosity that I would like to pass along. Some of them are so inspiring that I might consider doing something similar. Others are maybe a bit too inspiring, and I wouldn’t even pretend that I am that generous.
But I’ll let you decide.
Take a look at these newsworthy stories:
A group of beggars was standing outside of a store asking passers-by for money. A French woman passed by and handed them a scratch-off ticket she just purchased. The ticket hadn’t been scratched yet, so the homeless group of 4 proceeded to scratch it. The ticket ended up winning them a total of $59,000.
The entire group of 4 showed up at the lottery office the next day, along with their dogs. After receiving the money, they were reported to have purchased a van and gone on the road. The woman who purchased the ticket may never know how generous her act of kindness actually was.
A Kentucky woman won $103,000 (after taxes) after paying $20 for a lottery game. She said that she couldn’t believe she won. She actually didn’t believe she won until she received an email from Kentucky lottery officials letting her know she was the winner.
When asked, she said that she feels that she is proof that anybody can win.
But what she did was pretty cool. This is an idea I might steal.
She went back to the store where she purchased the winning ticket, and she bought $2,000 in gift cards. Once completing her purchase she went around the store and handed the gift cards out to people in the store.
She said that a few of these recipients were surprised, and suspected that she wanted something in return. But nope. She just wanted to share her good fortune.
A Massachusetts man had a guitar that needed repairs. The guitar belonged to this man’s son. The man brought the guitar to the local guitar store to be repaired. The store owner repaired the guitar but refused to accept any payment for the repairs.
The store owner knew this man’s son was having health problems and would not take the $20 he was owed. So then the man told the store owner that he would take the $20 and buy 2 instant lottery tickets.
The man also told the store owner that if he wins they were going to split the jackpot. An hour later the man ended up winning $1,000,000, and true to his word, he split the winnings with the store owner who had shown him kindness.
A couple living in Canada won an $11,000,000 jackpot. The couple was in their 70s. They were living comfortably on their retirement savings. So they decided to donate the entire jackpot to charity.
Among the recipients of the charitable donations were, hospitals, churches, and cemeteries, as well as their local fire department.
When asked about their decision to donate the entire fortune to Charity they stated, “What you’ve never had, you never miss.” The wife also explained that it made them both feel good to know that so much good was being done with the money.
I’d just like to end this post on this note: I’m a generous guy, sometimes even to a fault. And I love the idea of using your money to affect someone’s life in a positive manner. When I do win the “Big One” I will recall reading these stories and others like these, and I will do something similar with my own creative touches added in.
But I will tell you for sure what I won’t do:
As kind and as incredibly generous an act it is, I AIN”T giving away the entire fortune! (just keepin’ it real!)