Powerball lottery winners establish foundation to aid charitable causes

Clarke Canfield

Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2001 | 9:32 a.m.

PORTLAND, Maine -- A Buxton couple who won $41.5 million in the Powerball lottery have established a charitable foundation to benefit nonprofit organizations in Buxton and neighboring towns.

Erwin and Pat Wales announced last week that they have formed the Narragansett Number One Foundation and provided it with $5 million in seed money.

The foundation will award grants to nonprofit groups to help schools, fire and police departments, libraries, religious organizations, shelters and other causes.

"This is to help all nonprofits," Pat Wales said at a news conference. "We'd like to give back to our community and to other charities as well."

The Waleses made national headlines in August when they won one-quarter of a $294.8 million Powerball jackpot in August. They bought their tickets in Rollinsford, N.H.

After taxes, the couple's one-time payout was $24 million.

The couple have maintained a low profile -- and kept their spending to a minimum -- since they received the money.

Pat recently bought a Lexus, and Erwin bought a pickup truck. But they still don't have a dishwasher.

Two days after winning the lottery, the Waleses approached attorney Betsey McCandless about establishing a foundation.

McCandless said the foundation's seed money has been invested and will generate enough money to keep the foundation operating in perpetuity.

She explained that under Maine law, the foundation must distribute at least 5 percent of its assets annually -- meaning it must distribute at least $250,000 in its first year. The foundation's nine-member board is composed of the Waleses, their children and their children's spouses.

Applications will be accepted after Jan. 15, and application forms will be available on the foundation's website (www.nnof.org).

John Myers, Buxton town clerk, said townspeople aren't surprised at the foundation because the Waleses are known for their compassion and big hearts.

He said groups that might apply for grants range from scouting organizations and youth athletic teams to historical societies and the Buxton food pantry for the needy. The Waleses have already donated $100,000 to the Buxton Fire Department.

Myers said $250,000 the first year is a substantial amount of money, given that Buxton's population is about 10,000.

"For Buxton, that's significant -- very significant," Myers said.

In time, the foundation may give to nonprofit groups around the state.

For now, though, it will focus on Buxton and the surrounding towns of Standish, Hollis and Limington. The foundation's name, Narragansett Number One, is the original name of the town of Buxton.

The couple hope to give to the community in other small ways as well. Pat said she will volunteer at schools; Erwin said he will plow driveways this winter for people who can't afford it.

They said sometimes they forget that they are multimillionaires.

"We do the same things we did before," Pat said, "except I don't have to go to work."