Aloha! Alamance County Man Hawaii-Bound After NC Lottery Win
An Alamance County man won big in the North Carolina Education Lottery, and he’s planning a Hawaii trip with his winnings.
Graham resident Ralph Mayton Jr. won a $266,982 Fast Play jackpot recent, and said he’s going to take his mom to the islands.
“That’s the only place she’s never been,” Mayton said. “And she deserves it, so I want to take her.”
Mayton found a penny on the ground outside the BP station on East Harden Street in Graham, just before buying his ticket.
“I always hear it’s good luck if it’s laying heads up and darn it if I don’t believe it now,” Mayton – a mechanic of 40 years – said. “I still got it in my pocket right now and I’m keeping it forever.”
According to the NC Education Lottery, at the time of his purchase, the jackpot stood at $66,982. Since Mayton bought a $20 100X The Cash ticket, he received 100 percent of the progressive jackpot plus $200,000.
“I had no idea that I won the extra $200,000,” Mayton said. “My heart almost stopped I was so excited.”
Mayton said when he told his mom that he won she didnāt believe him.
We play Halloween tricks on her every year,” he laughed, “and she thinks Iām playing a trick on her right now.”
He arrived at lottery headquarters to collect his prize and, after required state and federal tax withholdings, took home $190,230.
Fast Play features an instantly growing jackpot that increases with every ticket sold until it is won. As of Wednesday morning, the Fast Play jackpot stands at $53,000 and counting.
For details on how $9.8 million raised by the lottery made a difference in Alamance County in 2022, visit www.nclottery.com and click on the āImpactā section.
7 Festive Games and Activities for a Memorable Holiday Party
Name That Holiday Song
All you need is someone with a phone full of great Christmas songs, ready to play DJ. See who can guess the festive songs first after hearing just a few notes. It’s a laid-back way to enjoy some post-meal fun.
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Never Have I Ever Holiday Edition
Give this timeless game a festive twist by asking questions like, “I’ve never regifted a present,” and find out what secrets your friends and family may be hiding. You can stick to the traditional rules where those who’ve committed the act take a sip of their beverage, or you can opt for a point-based system, with the winner receiving a holiday surprise as their reward.
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Present Stacking
Here’s a game that allows you to unleash your creativity. Wrap a selection of uniquely shaped objects, and the challenge is to see who can build the tallest stack of presents. Using fragile items in this game should be avoided for obvious reasons.
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Christmas Carol Challenge
Here’s a straightforward, no-fuss game that’s perfect a cozy home get-together or an office party. Gather everyone in a circle, and the game begins with one person singing a line from a holiday song. The person to their right then must continue with the next line of the song, and so on. You can choose from timeless classics like Jingle BellsĀ or opt for a more contemporary holiday hit like Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas is You. While you might know the opening lines of these songs, it becomes quite a challenge as the game progresses.
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Best/Worst Gift
Distribute four slips of paper to each participant. Every guest is tasked with jotting down two positive Christmas gifts and two negative ones: one from their real experiences and one fabricated. Collect all the slips in a container and let the group take turns guessing which presents were genuinely given and which were made up.
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Saran Wrap Ball Game
Make a big plastic wrap ball stuffed with little gifts like mini liquor bottles, gift cards, candy, and cash. One person starts by unwrapping it, while someone else takes the dice and tries to roll doubles. The twist is that you can’t stop unwrapping until your neighbor rolls those elusive doubles, so the pressure’s on to keep the ball moving.Ā Players get to keep all the goodies they uncover during their turn, so everyone’s in for some prizes. You can make it more challenging by requiring the person unwrapping to wear oven mitts.
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Celebrity
Here’s a fun party game you can enjoy with friends or family anytime, anywhere. You split into two teams, and each player writes down 5 celebrity names on pieces of paper. You take turns being the clue-giver. In round one, the clue-giver describes the celebrity without saying their name or nickname, and the team guesses. In round two, you can only use one word as a clue. Round three is like Charades, where you act out the celebrity without speaking. Keep score to see which team guesses the most celebrities correctly. It’s a great game for any gathering.
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