Big Win, Great Timing for a Wapato Couple

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Story Published: Jun 30, 2009 at 3:23 PM PST

By David Klugh

YAKIMA - Yakima's newest lottery winners collected their prize Tuesday morning.

The jackpot may not be the tens of millions some winners take home. But to meet this couple, you'd think they'd won it all.

Ronnie Hunt loves a good puzzle. The harder the better. He's been working on this one since last month. But for this 73 year old, the pace is now a bit slower. It's what happens when huge burdens are lifted.
It's what happens when someone hands you a very large check.
"This will make sure we can go for two or three more years anyway," says Ronnie.

Ronnie and his wife, Constance, are $100,000 richer.
The couple picked up their check in Yakima with very little fanfare, just the way they like it.

"What does it do that's different today than it was yesterday?" I asked Ronny. "In our Family nothing. It's the same as it was yesterday and the day before."

"And when Ronnie says nothing for this family has changed, it's exactly what he means. In fact, Constance was back on the line sorting cherries less than an hour after collecting their lottery winnings."

Constance admits, "This is reality. It's back to the real world."

After all, this is the family ranch and you don't just stop working because you won $100,000.
But there's something about the timing of this win that just might convince you there's an angel in this orchard.

"Our church will get a check on Sunday," Constance promised.

Constance is a breast cancer survivor. Her medication costs the family thousands a year even with some help from Medicare. That help runs out July 1st.

"I have no choice but the good old credit card. So I put it on there. And today, I don't have top worry about that."

"There are a lot of people who just stop taking it. It's expensive. And I always worry about that," The couple's daughter Rebecca said.

The Hunts won't be going shopping. After 53-years of marriage, $100,000 might buy them a night out.
A nice meal, for a family that has a reason to be thankful.

"Our word for today was grateful," Constance said. "And we are.. In more ways than one."

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