Nov. 16, 2017 - Salem, Ore. -- When Justice Prosise saw an Oregon Lottery Scratch-it ticket on his windshield -- and the windshield of the two other cars parked in "veteran parking" spaces at Rogue Community College -- he didn't know it would be worth $1,000.
"I am a Marine Corps veteran and I am taking classes to be a juvenile corrections life counselor at Rogue Community College," he said. "I came out after class and some nice person had put Scratch-its on the cars in the veterans spaces. I don't know who. So I played it, and kept looking at it because I won $1,000. I probably checked it more than 10 times."
Emily Prosise, Justice's wife of one month, didn't believe him at first.
"It was too good to be true, just $1,000 out of nowhere!" she said.
The couple said they were going to use the winnings to pay off a recent trip.
"I took her to Hawaii last April and proposed to her at sunset on the beach," Justice said. "I'm not totally romantic, the ring was in a Poke Ball."
The couple said they couldn't say thank you enough, and really appreciated the post-Veterans Day gift.
"We want to give the person a big hug and say thank you!" Emily said.
Oregon Lottery dollars help to fund veteran's services and public education. During the 2013-15 biennium the Oregon Lottery provided more than $6 million to education projects in Josephine County. In addition, voters last fall overwhelmingly approved to direct a portion of Lottery dollars to support veteran services.
The Oregon Lottery reminds players to always sign the back of their Lottery tickets, regardless of the game. In the event of winning a jackpot, they should consult with a trusted financial planner or similar professional to develop a plan for their winnings. Prize winners of more than $50,000 should contact the Lottery office to schedule an appointment to claim their prize.
Since the Oregon Lottery began selling tickets on April 25, 1985, it has earned more than $11 billion for economic development, public education, state parks and watershed enhancements. For more information on the Oregon Lottery visit www.oregonlottery.org