Deidre Poore Eagan of Towson claimed a $40,000 prize as the May 27 winner in the $2 Million VaxCash Promotion.
Grocery store employee is winner from May 27 drawing
The Maryland Lottery has awarded the first $40,000 prize in the $2 Million VaxCash Promotion to Towson resident Deidre Poore Eagan. She and her husband visited Lottery Headquarters in Baltimore today to claim her prize.
Deidre was the winner from the May 27 drawing, and was at work last week when she received a call from the Maryland Department of Health informing her of the win.
“I checked my voicemail, and just didn’t believe it,” Deidre said. “I spoke to the guy from the Department of Health on my way home, and when he said I really was the winner, I told him, ‘I have to pull over now.’”
While claiming her prize, Deidre explained that she and her husband never wavered when considering whether to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
“I’m around people all day at work, so I got vaccinated because I didn’t want to chance bringing something home that would make my husband sick,” said Deidre, 55, a service deli employee at Giant Food, adding that her husband also has been vaccinated against COVID-19.
Governor Larry Hogan offered congratulations to Deidre and her husband and thanked them for protecting themselves and others by getting vaccinated.
“Congratulations to Deidre and her family on getting vaccinated and on being one of our first winners! We can’t wait to meet more of our lottery winners throughout the month, and we thank the millions of Marylanders who have stepped up to get vaccinated.”
The enthusiastic winner and her husband said they plan to pay bills with the prize and may put some of the money toward a new car.
The VaxCash Promotion, announced by Governor Hogan on May 20, is a collaboration of the Maryland Lottery and the Maryland Department of Health (MDH), aimed at incentivizing Marylanders who have not yet received their COVID-19 vaccinations while rewarding those who have. All Maryland residents 18 and older who have received a COVID-19 shot at a non-Federal facility in the Maryland at any time are automatically entered into daily drawings being held from May 25 through July 4.
Each day through July 3, one winner will receive a $40,000 prize, and the promotion culminates on the Fourth of July when one winner will receive a $400,000 prize.
