What Would You Do With $1.5 Billion?

For much of the week the entire country was obsessed with the Powerball jackpot which, by the time of the drawing on Wednesday night, had climbed to $1.5 Billion. Yes, there is a ‘B’. It didn’t matter what your line of work or where in the country you called home, the lines at the local gas stations, 7 Elevens, and any place that sells lottery tickets were long and the stacks of tickets that people were buying were high. Even those who seldom gamble, and that is what this is, disregarded the long odds and bought tickets. And I was one of them because ‘eh, what the heck.’ Actually, I got two for myself and contributed two dollars to the office pool as well.

One of the interesting things that happens to anyone when they get a lottery ticket in their hand, especially with such a high potential payout, is that you can’t help but think about how you would spend the money should your numbers match. Most of the people I have talked to over the years and what seems to be common in the stories that you read about or watch on television is that a new house, car, and some outrageous vacation are where at least some of the money goes. Well, while tempting and at the same time not eliminating the possibility, it is not what I have on my list. When looking at the $1.5 Billion payday, here are some of the things that came to mind. Here is how some of my initial expenditures broke down in my mind:

·         $10 Million as emergency funds for my employer.

·         $2 Million to each of my 10 coworkers (under the condition that they continued working).

·         $10 Million each to various family members (siblings, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, etc.).

·         $20 Million to my parents.

·         $20 Million to my lodge.

·         $10 Million to the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.

·         $5 Million to my masonic district / district school.

·         $1 Million to each of the other lodges in the district.

·         $5 Million to Help for Heroes Fund.

·         $1 Million to various friends (we have a list).

·         $1 Million into college funds for our son and each niece and nephew.

·         $10 Million to each of our undergrad and graduate colleges.

·         $2 Million to the NRA.

·         $10 Million to the Rotary Club of Bala Cynwyd – Narberth.

·         $3 Million to pay off all debt and for some intense splurging throughout the rest of our lives (houses, cars, vacations, etc. would have to fall into this).

·         $20 Million Trust Fund for our son.

·         $10 Million each to Nefesh B’Nefesh and the Jewish Agency for Israel.

·         $10 Million to each of the Synagogues that have welcomed us and supported us over the years.

·         $5 Million to cancer research.

·         $1 Million for hiring genealogists to research all family lines.

·         $5 Million to the Monacan Indian Nation.

Adding all of these up it comes out to approximately $350 million. So, if you do a little calculating, it breaks down in the following way. When you look at the $1.5 Billion Powerball Annuity Jackpot, the lump sum option was approximately $900 million. Out of that $900 million you have to assume that you are going to lose about half to various taxes leaving you with $450 million. Once you subtract the $350 million in distributions above these leaves a total of approximately $100 million in the bank. It would be nice to sit back and relax never having to worry about finances again (especially without debt and with splurging already included into the budget).

A Late Night Out At Suburban Square (and Compass)

Weaving between the rows of cars at Suburban Square in Ardmore I wondered how long it would take before finding a parking space. The National Night Out festivities were already in full swing and every extra minute that passed was lost time that I could be helping my brothers and those in the community. As has become an annual tradition for our lodge, we were manning the Child Identification booth last night trying to help families keep their children safe all while not asking for a dime or keeping any information (unlike some similar programs being run in the area by a for profit company that I shall not name).

After parking on the other side of the train tracks I managed to get to the trailer about an hour after the party began. ID’s had already been processed and the line was beginning its steady growth. While not the onslaught that we experienced last year at the event, we had a regular flow of parents and children both getting identifications done and just asking questions. Once the program is explained in detail, there is almost a sense of gratitude that we would get from parents. On a certain level I understand their thoughts but at the same time it is our pleasure to give back to our community. After all, we are Masons to better ourselves, those around us, and the community in general.

Throughout the night (in addition to the plethora of people asking where to buy ride and meal tickets) we met friends, fellow masons, and police officers all guiding people to our booth. We even had a woman bring her daughter and grandchild to us after having taken her daughter through the process a decade ago. I anticipate seeing more and more of those instances as the years pass and we are able to process hundreds, if not thousands, of Child ID’s.

Another woman, guided over to us by the Lower Merion Police Department, asked if we would do the same thing at an upcoming event in September. She had previously talked to the aforementioned for-profit company, but was told by the local authorities that we were the best option. So, hopefully, we will be holding another CHIP event in early September at Ludington Library in Bryn Mawr. Just waiting for her to send me an email with the exact details.

The parking lot began to clear as soon as the music stopped.

By nine o’clock we were just finishing up the last ID of the night and we were all quite tired from the, at times, hectic pace. However, we all had energy to spare as tallied the count at 50 for the event bringing the total for the last two years over 110 children. While I hope that none of those packets ever have to be used, I am glad to play a small role in the peace of mind that those parents have thanks to our efforts and those of every other Mason in Pennsylvania and across the country. While every day I am proud to be a Mason, last night accentuated that pride I have in being a part of the greatest fraternity in the world.