West Side resident Gloria Valencia claimed a $210,000 prize from the New Mexico Lottery on Monday, adding another bright moment to an already luminous year.
The 65-year-old retired legal secretary collected her prize after matching all five numbers from Friday’s Roadrunner Cash drawing. The winning numbers were 3-18-21-23-26.
“This has been my year,” Valencia said. “I’m not going to complain about anything.”
In addition to her lottery prize, the amateur genealogist has much to celebrate. In March, Valencia and other volunteers completed a book titled “Aquí Se Comienza.” Published by the New Mexico Genealogical Society, the 623-page history of New Mexico’s founding families took nearly four years to complete. As project manager, Valencia oversaw three editors and 17 researchers. Both Aquí Se Comienza and Valencia have been nominated for a New Mexico Book Award. Winners will be announced on Nov. 9.
Valencia, who plans to use her $210,000 prize to landscape her backyard, buy a new car, and make donations to her favorite charities, purchased her winning ticket at Paradise Hills Chevron at 5647 Paradise Blvd. NW in Albuquerque. This retailer has sold eight other large prize-winning lottery tickets ranging from $1,000 to $100,000.
Lottery Beneficiaries in Bernalillo County
All net revenues from the sale of lottery games benefit the Legislative Lottery Scholarship program, which provides tuition assistance for New Mexico residents attending the state’s public colleges and universities.
Since its inception in 1996, the lottery has raised more than $331 million for public education in
New Mexico. More than 48,000 students have received Legislative Lottery Scholarships in the last decade. As of the Spring 2007 semester, 14,700 high school graduates from Bernalillo County have received $74 million in Legislative Lottery Scholarships to attend college.
Information on Legislative Lottery Scholarships is available at
www.nmlottery.com
