Secretary Wins for Life

MIDDLETOWN, Pennsylvania -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- Nancy Guiher, a 58-year-old secretary from Saltsburg, Indiana County, has won $1,000-a-week-for-life, the top prize in the Win For Life instant game, from the Pennsylvania Lottery.

Lottery Area Manager Dennis Nero presented Guiher with her first annual payment of $52,000, less federal withholding, during a news conference today at Shop 'n Save, 543 Salt St., where Guiher purchased the winning instant ticket. Shop 'n Save, owned by Gary Wheatley and managed by Donna Spallone, received a $5,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.

Guiher, who has worked as the secretary for Saltsburg Middle/High School for 36 years, was planning to retire within the next few years. Now, Guiher says the extra annual income from the Lottery prize may allow her and her husband, Dennis, to retire earlier than expected.

"We have to get our ducks in a row first and then we can retire," said Guiher, who wants to invest most of her winnings, although she said they plan to splurge on a trip to Hawaii.

Win For Life top prizes are paid in annual installments of $52,000, less 25 percent federal withholding. Guiher is the 74th winner of $1,000-a-week- for-life since the game debuted in July 1995. As of Nov. 21, there were two top prizes remaining in the current Win For Life instant game. The odds of winning the top Win For Life prize are 1-in-4.8 million, while the overall odds of winning a prize are 1-in-4.7.