50 Millionaire…

March 07, 2014

Tonight’s Lotto Max jackpot is estimated to be approximately fifty million dollars, plus 30 additional prizes of one million dollars.

I don’t buy lottery tickets on a regular basis but I couldn’t resist purchasing a ticket for this one. I know, I know, my odds are greatly reduced because the jackpot is so high and so many more people are buying tickets but I couldn’t resist. I could do so much good with fifty million dollars – not just for me, but for others as well.

Let’s start with myself, friends and family:

I would obviously be retiring early – is Monday soon enough for you?

I would purchase my oceanfront house in Bonaire and a sweet boat – rigged for both diving and fishing.

I would purchase J’s parents a nice condo, new vehicle and give them enough money to live comfortably.

I would give J’s sister and brother enough money to pay off their mortgages.

I would build my dad a cabin in the woods, buy him a new truck and give him enough money to live comfortably.

I would set up a trust fund for The Boy, purchase him a new truck and pay off his student debt.

For friends, I would take them on an all inclusive dive trip (spending money included) – somewhere warm and exotic that we wouldn’t otherwise have gone – maybe Bora Bora or Fiji. For those that don't dive or didn't want to participate, I'd give them the cash equivalent.

For others:

I would set up a scholarship fund for kids that otherwise couldn’t afford to go to college, which would pay for tuition, housing, books, everything. Maybe kids from single parent households or whose parents never had the opportunity for a secondary education would benefit the most. I’d want to include a mentoring component to make sure these kids succeeded.

I would like to set up a program where annually I could offer a deserving families an all expense paid trip to a destination of their choice. I know how fortunate I am to be able to travel and how valuable those experiences have been for me. I would like to share that.

Since I will be living on Bonaire, I will give generously to charities there – in particular, the Donkey Sanctuary and Bonaire Animal Shelter. I would also like to help develop programs for kids on the island for both educational and sporting opportunities.