Posted on 08/07/2006 1:09:31 PM PDT by Red Badger
(CBS/AP) About 100 cheese-factory workers in the Wisconsin town of Saint Cloud have been celebrating — because they say they're $208 million richer.
Wisconsin state lottery officials say no one has officially stepped forward to claim Saturday's Powerball jackpot.
But a large contingent of employees from Sargento Cheese say they have the winning ticket locked in a safe.
Eric Heimermann is one member of the celebrating group. He told the Fond du Lac Reporter that the mostly second shift workers had chipped in $1 apiece to a pool to purchase lottery tickets.
Heimermann, 24, of St. Cloud, spoke with the newspaper in a telephone interview from Fat Boys Tavern in St. Cloud. The newspaper said many of the winners went to the tavern Sunday night to celebrate.
"I think everybody pretty much decided we're going to pay our bills and we're going to take it from there," he told the newspaper. "We're all going to work tomorrow. We still have a job to do."
It's not clear when the group will try to redeem the ticket. Lottery spokeswoman Jessica Iverson says it can take several days or weeks for a winner to come forward.
The winning numbers drawn Saturday night were two, three, nine, 48 and 50 and the Powerball was 23.
That's so cheesy.
(Yes, I know, but someone was going to say it and we might as well get it out of the way already.)
They must have a moose as a mascot.
I'm glad I'm not their boss. How many of them do you suppose showed up for work today?
NOW HIRING!
CHEESE EXPERIENCE A PLUS!........
That'll pay off the mortgage and put momma in a new car.
sigh
I like cheese, do you like cheese?
Close to a million bucks should buy momma a new house!.....
I like cheese.
I like green cheese!.......
God bless 'em all.
Doesn't the Sermon on the Mount go something like "Blessed are the Cheesemakers . . ."?
Yes, and what a friend we have in cheeses!
You betcha, I am always happy for those who win and who deserve it. That is much better than one rich fat cat who can afford $5000 worth of tickets and wins it.
gorgonzola........
I certainly wouldn't turn it down, but a lump-sum payment after tax divided 100 ways will come out to slightly north of $1 Million USD.
That's significant, but hardly retire-to-the-beach money.
All fat n' sassy, divvyin' up the winnin's, and cuttin' the cheese!
A lot less after taxes... What, maybe $600K? Guess that'd buy a pretty decent house in St. Cloud.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.