W. Randy Smith has already been a very generous lottery winner.
Randy, 63, already gave half a million dollars to the building fund for the Hospice of the Panhandle back in November last year.
But now he’s been helping the emergency services by donating some seriously valuable equipment.
Six fire departments across Berkeley County have each received a brand new 4 wheel drive Ford F-350, worth a total of $240,000. Each truck has snow plows and blowers – which allows them to clear the way for following ambulances or other fire vehicles when they need to get to a callout in heavy snow.
Before he even won the lottery Randy remembered listening to his radio scanner during blizzards last year, and hearing that crews couldn’t get through the snow to help people.
Now he was in a position to do something about it.
He also bought 4 wheel drive ambulances worth $280,000, plus an armored personnel carrier to help SWAT teams reach hostages safely worth $220,000, and a mobile forensic law-enforcement unit worth $150,000.
Randy originally won the Powerball back on 23rd August last year. The jackpot was $79 Million,and he received a lump sum of $44 Million (before tax).
He swiftly set up the W. Randy Smith Family Fund for the charitable donations he was planning – and added an initial $5 Million to the pot.
It’s nice to hear that Randy’s friends say he hasn’t changed at all since the win.
He lives in that same house, and hasn’t been spending his money on luxury holidays either – he’s only been away from home once, for 3 days in Ocean City.
He did add though:
Money doesn’t make you happier, but it does make living a lot easier.
Do you have charitable plans for some of the money when you win?
Would you give to more traditional charities, or like Randy, help out with very specific donations to services like the Fire Department?
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