Long Island Nursing Home Employees Win $50K Powerball Prize

COMMACK, NY – Thirty-seven employees working in Gurwin Jewish Nursing and Rehabilitation Center’s Adult Day Health Program were among the winners of the $50,000 Powerball prize for Wednesday's drawing.

The group joined together to purchase the lottery tickets on Wednesday, planning to share the jackpot if they got lucky.

“We had a little more than $80, so I went to several places and bought $20 worth of tickets in each place," Dave Krawec, the nursing home's transportation supervisor said. "I don’t even know where I bought the winning ticket."

However, after checking the tickets this morning, and he was shocked to see one matched five numbers plus the Powerball.

“First thing I did when I came in was hand everyone an envelope with a copy of the ticket, and a note telling them we won,” he said.

Many of the staff thought it was a prank.

“We have fun here, and I thought it was Dave just kidding around,” Douglas Perla, a social worker with the program said. “When I heard everyone yelling, I realized it was real!”

Members of the staff were discussing what they would do with their winnings, which, after taxes, comes to just a bit more than $800 each.

Some will put it toward upcoming weddings, toward Giants tickets, or to pay off some bills.

Recreation Leader Joanna Umana, said she'll be using her share of the prize to pay some of her tuition at Suffolk County Community College, where she currently attends, and plans to attend medical school in the future.

“I feel very blessed to have won the prize with my coworkers,” she said. “We do everything as a family here in Day Care, and I’m glad we were able to share it together!”

The prize is more than enough for Mercedes Rago, a unit receptionist.

“I’m very happy with our winnings,” she said. “It will me buy a lot of shoes!”

Gurwin Administrator and COO Stuart B. Almer congratulated the group, after joking that the group he played with only won $9.

“We’re delighted for Gurwin’s Adult Day Health Program staff," he said. "They’re good people doing good work, and it’s great that they got lucky today!”