Barry McMillion of Sunny View and his wife, Jill, got an unexpected anniversary present recently.
On March 31, two days before their 40th wedding anniversary, Jill received a call telling her Barry had won a 2011 Jeep Wrangler in a raffle benefiting Hearts with Hands in Asheville.
Jill was torn between disbelief and excitement at first, Barry said. Maybe the call was a hoax – after all, it was almost April Fool’s Day. But the caller convinced her that it was real, and she called Barry quickly.
Barry said Hearts with Hands sold 450 raffle tickets at $100 each, and he bought one ticket. Hearts with Hands is one of the charitable organizations he and his wife donate to each year.
“We normally donate about $50,” he said, “but I decided to go ahead and buy a ticket.”
According to its website, Hearts with Hands (heartswithhands.org) is a Christian nonprofit organization whose mission is to help anyone in need with the necessities of life, such as food, water, shelter, clothing and heat, regardless of race, religion or ethnic creed. In addition to helping address local needs, the organization has helped victims of many disasters, such as the recent earthquakes and tsunami in Japan and Hurricane Katrina.
Hearts with Hands placed the value of the Jeep Wrangler at $42,000. To add to that value, the organization also paid the tax on the vehicle.
Barry, who works part-time in the guidance department at Polk County High School, said the couple plans to keep the Jeep. He said it’s the first new car he’s ever owned.
“I’ve never won anything big before,” Barry said. “It’s actually pretty humbling.”