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February 28, 2007

Perry Township man could be the next $10 million winner

By Monica Pryts

PERRY TOWNSHIP — Fred Spaulding of Perry Township could become a multi-millionaire today.

Spaulding, 63, is one of 210 people chosen as finalists from a nationwide contest to win $10 million from Publishers Clearing House.

He doesn’t remember if he entered the sweepstakes through the mail or the Internet, but he got a letter Saturday saying he was a finalist and will receive a $1,000 check if he doesn’t win the grand prize. He had to read the letter several times to make sure it was real.

“I’ve gotten a lot of letters like that. I was skeptical,” Spaulding said.

He often enters contests and gets letters from Publishers Clearing House thanking him for being a member since 1970, but the only prize he has ever won was $500 in the state lottery about 10 years ago.

Spaulding, who was born and raised in Greenville, retired several years ago from Bessemer & Lake Erie Railroad Co. after nearly 40 years of service.

While hanging out at home Tuesday afternoon with his family, he was still letting it sink in that he could win $10 million.

“I hope that concrete out there is safer than it looks because that’s where I’ll be laying,” Spaulding said of what will happen if he wins.

The lucky winner will be notified today by Publishers Clearing House’s Prize Patrol, complete with flowers, balloons and an oversized check, said Melanie Dennig of Ruder Finn Marketing, the New York City public relations agency that represents Publishers Clearing House.

If Spaulding wins, he’d like to buy a van to accommodate his wife of 43 years, Beverly, who’s in a wheelchair with a bad hip. He might also buy himself a new pickup truck and build a new house.

He would also help his 7-year-old grandson, Noah Spaulding, who has cerebral palsy. Noah, who lives in Hempfield Township, has traveled to Poland several times for intensive physical therapy, which is expensive.

“He’s a very intelligent little fellow,” Spaulding said of Noah, who he said is quite a character for his age.

He doesn’t know how he’ll celebrate if he wins, but said there’s no point in getting excited and finding out he didn’t win. If the Prize Patrol doesn’t ring his doorbell today, he’ll still be happy with $1,000.

“It hasn’t cost me a penny, but I will be somewhat disappointed,” he said.

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