Fraternal Order of Eagles member claims top prize and the Community wins big too!
APACHE JUNCTION (August 31, 2020) – A long-time member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles, Lost Dutchman Aerie #3850, is taking home $50,000 (before taxes), winning the top prize in the Arizona Lottery’s “Fast Fortune” Fast Play game.
Steve Foutch bought the winning ticket through the aerie’s electronic vending machine and could not believe it when he won, “It was very exciting winning $50,000. Our organization does such great work in the community and winning this prize is wonderful. I’m working 60 hours a week these days and this will really help with my bills. I really appreciate all that the Lottery sales help our aerie to do for our charities and all that they do to help keep our aerie strong and active.”
“We love to see Arizonans win big with the Arizona Lottery, but it is especially heartwarming when that winning ticket is sold by a charitable organization,” said Gregg Edgar, Arizona Lottery Executive Director. “The Arizona Lottery is all about giving back and making dreams come true for our players. Our increased sales commissions to our charitable retailers go a long way toward helping these groups in their grassroots efforts to improve our communities, inspiring Arizonans to dream bigger while doing good for Arizona.”
Aerie #3850 Worthy President Dawna Russel said the excitement generated by this win is contagious, “This win is the talk of the aerie. When we first began selling Arizona Lottery tickets we expected wins like this and we are thrilled. The added ticket sales that are coming in are helping us to boost our donations to the Phoenix Children’s Heart hospital, pediatric cancer research, and many other local charities, so this really means a lot.”
Russel noted that their impact on their community has really grown since becoming an Arizona Lottery charitable retailer, “We can do so much more now than we could do before. We are so pleased with the Arizona Lottery partnership because they are also in the business of Giving Back to Arizona. When we began selling Arizona Lottery products as a charitable organization two years ago, we were told this would be a benefit to us and to our mission and it really has been.”
The aerie has raised $5,000 through Arizona Lottery ticket sales that have directly benefited the charities they partner with. State President and previous Aerie President Bill Kimball said he was skeptical when the vending machine was installed but it has since proved to be a real benefit to their charitable efforts. “We have a lot of people playing and I am very happy about that because it helps us fund so many worthy charities,” Kimball said. “We help feed and clothe the homeless through the Genesis Project in Apache Junction, we give money to local food banks, we donate to DARE, and we assist the Boys and Girls Club. We are proud to partner with the Arizona Lottery and believe other aeries would benefit from working with the Lottery as well.”
Arizona Lottery charitable retailers earned more than $1.3 million in commissions in FY20*, helping to fund the public programs and services that they provide. Charitable organizations earn 20 percent commission on all pull tab tickets they sell and 6.5% on all other Arizona Lottery tickets they sell. Many different charitable organizations sell Arizona Lottery tickets, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, Elks Lodge, Moose Lodge, and the Fraternal Order of Eagles. There are currently 150 organizations selling fun and patriotic-themed Arizona Lottery pull-tab games throughout the state, providing vital support for these programs, which assist other nonprofits serving some of Arizona’s most vulnerable populations, thus easing some of the demand that would otherwise fall on tax dollar funded agencies.
Though Steve’s win is exciting, it is just one of the thousands of Arizona Lottery wins that are paid out to our players every week with our instant and draw games, our second chance Players Club (available for free on the iTunes® App Store and Google Play™) promotions, and our regular Facebook live streams where no purchase is necessary to tune in and win!
It’s also important to remember that Steve and the Fraternal Order of Eagles’ charities are not the only winners, as every Arizona Lottery ticket sold helps fund more than a dozen vital programs across the state, including health, housing, and job assistance for the homeless; support for Arizona’s foster children; funding to nurture and grow our state’s economy in a pandemic-challenged environment; and monies to augment efforts to preserve and protect Arizona’s iconic wildlife and habitats.
Arizona Lottery tickets are available at over 3,000 retail locations across the state. Players have 180 days to redeem their winning tickets and must sign the back of their winning tickets to ensure that no one else can claim their prize. Winners should consult with a financial advisor before claiming their prize.
*All FY20 sales and commission numbers are unaudited and may change
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About the Fraternal Order of Eagles, Lost Dutchman Aerie #3850
The Lost Dutchman Fraternal Order of Eagles # 3850 (known as an Aerie) is a local Apache Junction, Arizona, Aerie formed under the National Grand Aerie. We are a NON-PROFIT Fraternal Organization made up of members of the Aerie and The Ladies Auxiliary. The motto of The Fraternal Order of Eagles is “PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE”. FOE 3850 has a Social Room serving a variety of soft drinks and adult beverages, plus a Kitchen that serves some really good food at super prices. Through these and our other fund-raising activities, FOE 3850 raises money which is given to both local and national charities. If having fun activities with old and new friends, while helping our community, sounds like something you would enjoy — visit our Become A Member page and come visit us. The National Fraternal Order of Eagles donates more than $10 million a year to local communities, fundraisers, charities, and more. As part of its philosophy, the F.O.E. gives back 100 percent of monies raised in the form of grants. Fundraisers are conducted for eight major charities, including kidney, heart, diabetes, cancer, and spinal cord injury funds, a children’s fund, a memorial foundation, and the Golden Eagle Fund.
