Chatham’s Yvonne Nelmes has 100,000 new reasons to smile after winning Encore recently.
Nelmes won the $100,000 in the May 28 Encore, matching six of seven winning numbers.
“I usually purchase my lottery tickets from the same retailer every Friday,” shared Nelmes while at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto where she picked up her winnings. “I checked my numbers online the day after the draw. My daughter also checked the numbers and told me to go to the corner store right away.”
Before heading out, Nelmes made a quick call to her brother to share the good news about her win.
“He asked me how much I won and I whispered, ‘$100,000.’ He said, ‘Speak up’, because he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.”
Nelmes then went to the store.
“I handed my ticket to the retailer right away and I was told, ‘Big Winner!’ My siblings all live in Sault Ste. Marie and by the time I got home, everybody knew. They were all so happy for me.”
Nelmes is planning to share some of her windfall with loved ones.
“I’m keeping $25,000. I will give my granddaughter a money gift and the rest will go to my daughter. I am very close with her. We travel together all the time so I know some of my win will go to a fantastic vacation. Winning the lottery is like a dream come true.”
The winning ticket was purchased at Ken’s Variety on Vanier Drive in Chatham.
