The small community of Mokelumne Hill, located southeast of Sacramento, has quite the history. It was once one of the richest gold mining towns in California. Though it now boasts fewer than one thousand people, the Gold Country community is still the site of potential riches. Just ask the man who purchased a California Lottery Set For Life Scratchers® ticket there worth $2 million!
Thomas Reese, a home inspector, said he was heading to the hardware store for supplies, but stopped at S & S Trading Post, which is located at 8026 Highway 49 in Mokelumne Hill (Calaveras County). The locals know it as Sierra Trading Post. It was there that Reese bought the ticket which featured a “LIFE” symbol to automatically win $100,000 a year for 20 years!
Reese said once he saw that he high tailed it home to tell his wife. Joyce Reese was in denial. “She walked around for about an hour saying, ‘No, no, no,’” Thomas said.
For Joyce, the news didn’t sink in until the couple arrived at the Lottery’s Sacramento District Office today to claim their prize. They had to sit through the weekend before they could surrender their ticket, which seemed like a lifetime. “We kept it locked up,” said Thomas. “Somebody had to stay home at all time,” said Joyce.
With the ticket now safely out of their hands the couple can now relax. Even before all of this, the Reeses had planned a trip to Hawaii. “We’re going to have a really good time…not going to have to penny pinch it,” said Joyce.