Retirement just became a lot more comfortable for Harold Baxter.
The 78-year-old Salmon Arm man recently learned he was the grand prize winner in this year's BC Children's Hospital Choices Lottery. As such, he had the option to choose one of 10 new homes, or $2.3 million in tax-free cash. Baxter opted for the latter.
Asked if he had any plans for the winnings, Baxter said he has a few things "swirling in my head," but is still overwhelmed by the win.
"How many people get a cheque for $2.3 million?" said Baxter.
The cheque will be presented to Baxter at Salmon Arm's Save-On-Foods, where he purchased the ticket, and whose manager played a role in convincing him that he'd won.
"They (BC Children's lottery officials) phoned me about three times and I didn鈥檛 answer it 鈥� it was a 604 number which is Vancouver and I don鈥檛 know anybody in Vancouver. I thought it was somebody trying to sell me something," said Baxter. "So they got a hold of me through the Save-On-Foods. They got the manager there to phone me and it was a local number so I answered.
"They said ';You鈥檝e got a lottery win or something'. I said 'So what, I won some suitcases?' He said 'No, I think it鈥檚 bigger than that', but he couldn鈥檛 tell me."
Baxter said he's lived in Salmon Arm for 30 years and used to run a moving company in town, Lefty's Moving. He said he's played the BC Children's Hospital Lottery off and on over the past 10 years, in part for what it supports.
"It's one lottery that I like and they help children," said Baxter
