Lottery millionaires help out at Samaritan Center

Every day feels like Saturday for James Wydrzynski of Florissant since his April 12 Powerball win.

But on Tuesday, Wydrzynski, who in April split a $224.2 million pot with 12 of his co-workers at the Missouri Department of Social Services child support enforcement office, took some time out of fixing things around the house to give back to the community and to rub elbows with 29 other Missouri Lottery-made millionaires at the 20th annual Millionaire's Reunion in Jefferson City.

Wydrzynski stood at a table bagging blue gummy candies while many of his fellow Lottery winners sorted clothes for donation, filled orders at the food pantry and went through items for the center's upcoming auction.

Marylyn DeFeo, volunteer executive director of the Samaritan Center, said the group accomplished in several hours tasks that would have taken a few days of work for two or three volunteers to complete.

While one volunteer did hand DeFeo a few bills, she said her hope wasn't that the millionaires would donate money on the spot, but that the feeling of charity would be something they'd take with them.

“My hope is that they'll think about it and go back to their communities and see people in need,” she said. “And that maybe they'll start something like the Samaritan Center.”

The 13 Department of Social Services employees are still early in the game with their fortunes of around $8.6 million each, with two splitting one ticket. In addition to promoting community service, the annual reunions will provide them with education on issues, such as choosing financial and legal assistance, personal security, tax changes and emotional well-being.

For a start along his new path, Wydrzynski retired from his position as office manager on June 1, after 13 years with the state.

While the state filled his post, and a few of his other now-millionaire employees returned to their jobs, the office has a big hole in it with a third of the staff gone and a hiring freeze in place, Wydrzynski said.

While hitting the jackpot doesn't necessarily give winners instant ticket to a carefree life void of hard decisions, as this situation illustrates, it does create one thing for winners.

“The big thing it's done is it's created time and opportunity, hopefully opportunity to do good things for yourself and for charity,” Wydrzynski said.

He and his former co-worker Juanita Miller of Black Jack, say the feeling still hasn't quite sunk in and say that they don't have many extravagant plans.

Wydrzynski said he plans on staying in the home, with his wife still working because she enjoys her job.

Miller will be paying off credit cards and buying a new home, but she emphasizes her final plan for the money.

“Investing, investing, investing - making sure I don't have to go job hunting in a few years,” she said.

Mark and Regina Dreiling, background, and their daughter, Nicole, 6, fill plastic bags with gummi candy Tuesday as they volunteer at the Samaritan Center. The Dreilings, of Belton, won a $47 million Lottery jackpot in May 1999. They quit their jobs, helped out family members and bought a farm where they built a new house. (Julie Smith/News Tribune photo)