A childhood imaginary culprit is the latest Washingtonian to win the Lottery — sort of. A Bellevue family claimed the $8.9 million Lotto jackpot from Nov. 5 at Lottery offices Wednesday, Dec. 3, under the entity known as Herman Did It, LLC.
Who’s Herman?
Lottery winner Beth Schrader, who acts a representative of the entity, describes Herman.
“Herman was an imaginary scapegoat of sorts when we were kids,” laughs Schrader. “Whenever someone did something bad when we were kids, Herman got the blame—we’d just say ‘Herman did it.’” Schrader added with a twinkle in her eye, “Herman’s name came up frequently.”
Finally, it appears, Herman may have done something right.
Schrader stepped forward Wednesday in Everett to claim the prize on behalf of her family members, who will split the prize equally. Schrader discovered she won the Lottery over a month ago when she checked her ticket in the Check-a-Ticket machine at a local grocery store.
“I just had a feeling of disbelief,” Schrader recalls.
She bought a newspaper to check the numbers and headed for home. Once she realized the ticket was really a winner, Schrader told her mother, “We’re going to be OK. We won the Lottery.”
So what will the money buy? “This means our kids will be able to go to college” Schrader said quietly.
Pregnant and due in a few months, Schrader also was excited about a new rocking chair. With the current economy in mind, the purchase previously seemed extravagant.
“I already have one in mind,” she said with a smile.
Schrader also mentioned that family members intend to donate some of the Lottery winnings to cancer research and treatment organizations, as well as uncompensated care funds to assist patients unable to pay for medical expenses.
The winning ticket was sold at the AMF Sun Villa Lanes bowling center, located at 3080 148th Avenue S.E. in Bellevue near Bellevue Community College. For their efforts, AMF Sun Villa will receive a retail selling bonus of $89,000.
Sun Villa Bowl is a lucky location. In the past decade, the retailer has had a number of high tier winning tickets of $50,000 and more, including a $6,000,000 winning Lotto ticket won in 1999 by Patricia Christian of Bellevue.
The Herman Did It LLC chose to take the prize in cash, receiving $3,337,500 after federal tax withholding.
