The word “Luck” doesn’t even begin to Cover it

From the Express-Times in Bethlehem, PA:

BETHLEHEM — Just call Donna Goeppert lady luck.

For the second time in five months, this 55-year-old Bethlehem woman has scratched her way to a $1 million lottery winning.

“Sure, that’s why people play the tickets — to win,” she said Friday, a day after her second win and still in shock. “But I never thought that I would win another million.”

Goeppert scratched her first $1 Million Blockbuster game grand prize in January at the Linden Food Market. That time, it took her three $20 tickets.

This time, it took 12, but persistence sure paid off.

On Thursday afternoon, Goeppert made her weekly stop at Lump’s Deli on Center Street to buy Cash 5 and Powerball tickets. On a whim, she also picked up one $1 Million Blockbuster game.

She said it had been a couple weeks since she last played, so she thought, what the heck.

Her first try resulted in a $20 hit, so she bought another and hit for $25, then came $50 and another $20 and so on until ticket number 12.

When Goeppert scratched off the bottom — as she always does first — and saw the word “claim,” she knew she’d won more than $500.

“I figured I won $1,000,” she said. “Not ever did I think a million.”

As she scratched off the rest of the ticket, slowly unveiling her prize, she thought she saw an M. One more quick scratch and it was clear that M turned out to be the start of another million.

“I couldn’t believe it,” she said, recalling how she and the owner were screaming and jumping.

Goeppert filed her claim Friday.

Stephanie Weyant, spokeswoman for the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, confirmed a claim was filed in the $1 Million Blockbuster game, but said she couldn’t release any more information until it was validated. That should be sometime next week, Weyant said.

With her first winnings, Goeppert paid off her house, her kids’ houses, her car, her husband’s truck, put away money away in a college fund for her three grandchildren and some more in a mutual fund. She also treated herself to a new Cadillac.

With these winnings, she said she plans to help her daughter, who is getting her masters degree, with her college loan payments and do something for her son as well.

Goeppert also intends to sell her home and purchase a condo.

As for what makes her so lucky, she said she has no idea.

But those around her do.

Carmen Laboy, who has been playing BINGO every Wednesday and Friday for five years at the Bethlehem Volunteer Fireman’s Home Association, where Goeppert works, said it’s because of Goeppert’s generosity that luck came calling twice.

“She’s a great mother, great grandmother, great daughter, great sister, great friend,” said Laboy, of Bethlehem. “She deserves it. She deserves to win another million.”

And none of this has changed Goeppert, added Lilie Moraza, another BINGO player.

“If you need $10 extra for BINGO, she will lend you the money,” the Bethlehem woman said. “She’s the greatest.”

As she doled out bingo cards Friday night, Goeppert accepted congratulations and laughed at comments like “rub some of your luck on me” and “I want to know what you’re stepping in.”

Since winning the first time, she agrees she hasn’t changed and said she doesn’t plan to now.

She still does the same things as before, except she gets to go to Atlantic City more often.

To all her fellow lottery players, Goeppert offered the one secret to winning– keep scratching.