“I’m not lucky, I’m blessed,” Dorothy Thompson said shortly after displaying nerves of steel in the Andalusia Rotary Club’s $15,000 sweepstakes draw-down last night. “This is going to the church.”

When 10 of the 500 tickets are remaining, Rotarians offer ticket holders an opportunity to split the prize. Mrs. Thompson held strong. With each draw, she said, “Keep going.”

After winning, she said that she and her husband, Tommy Thompson, didn’t expect to win, but bought the ticket to support Rotary and its projects. But they said up front if they won, the proceeds would go to Hopewell Baptist Church.

Others holding tickets in the Top 10 were John and Rosemary Guilford, the Elba Rotary Club, “Pecans,” Alan Williamson, Wendell Randolph, Josh Carnley, James Jones, Terry and Missy Pierce and David Carter.

Shown are Dorothy and Tommy Thompson with Thompson’s uncle, Rick Jones, who sold them the winning ticket.