Edmonton may be known as the City of Champions but Penhold can now claim itself as the Town of Millionaires.
Two million-dollar winning tickets – a scratch 'n win ticket from a player's choice mega pack and a Maxmillions prize from a Lotto Max ticket, were both won last December in Penhold.
Penhold residents Jeannot Desjardins and his daughter-in-law Vanessa Desjardins found out they were among Alberta's newest millionaires after they scratched a $1-million prize on a ticket they bought at Penhold Family Foods on Dec. 31.
“Honestly, we were stunned,” said Jeannot Desjardins in a news release from the Western Canada Lottery Corporation. “Vanessa couldn't even eat or drink after we scratched the ticket.
“We had won $10 on two different scratch 'n wins and used the money to buy this pack,” added Vanessa. “It was really surprising.”
Gerry Knedel, owner of Penhold Family Foods, was thrilled to hear the news.
“It's the first major winner at the family foods store in Penhold,” said Knedel. “It was exciting for everybody.”
The second $1-million winner, Axel Griesshaber, won his Maxmillions prize in a Lotto Max draw on Dec. 11. He didn't learn of the win until he checked his ticket several weeks later.
“I had just washed my truck and went to check some tickets I found while cleaning,” said Griesshaber in a news release. “I had to get the clerk to check it for me. I couldn't really believe what I was seeing.”
The winning Lotto Max ticket was purchased at Fas Gas Plus in Penhold at the corner of highways 2A and 42. Station owner Arif Majeed said his gas station has been a busy place since news of the million-dollar win.
“This is the first million-dollar winner at Fas Gas,” said Majeed. “Before one lady won $10,000 on a 6/49 draw and one guy won $5,000 on a scratch 'n win lottery ticket as well.
“Now people are happy to come to our Fas Gas station to purchase a lottery ticket because they know someone won a million dollars here. They think the next time it might be them,” he added.
Officials with the Western Canada Lottery Corporation said it's quite uncommon to have million-dollar winners just weeks apart and from the same city or town.
“That's pretty incredible. It's unusual, but it happens,” said Kevin van Egdom, manager of communications and media relations. “Last year we had a town of about 5,000 people in Saskatchewan where there was two winners of a million dollars pretty close to each other as well, but it's pretty rare that you'll see such a small community have wins so close together.”
The Desjardinses and Griesshaber both plan to pay off mortgages and pay bills with their winnings, and possibly buy some land or take a trip.
Axel Griesshaber
"I had just washed my truck and went to check some tickets I found while cleaning. I had to get the clerk to check it for me. I couldn't really believe what I was seeing."
