Long wins Queen of Hearts drawing

<p class="p1">A guy who usually has some of the best stories now has another one.

<p class="p1">Chester High School volunteer assistant baseball coach Glenn Long won Kaskaskia VFW Post 3553's Queen of Hearts jackpot on Sept.14, a sum of $46,282.

<p class="p1">After taxes, he pocketed $33,091 and immediately donated $500 to the VFW for its charity work.

<p class="p1">Long, who had a 1-in-21 chance of winning the money after his ticket was drawn, went with a number he knew best in picking No. 11.

<p class="p1">"It was my old baseball number years ago," he said after being announced as the winner. "I thought that's what (the winner) was. Just karma I guess."

<p class="p1">Long - who played for CHS from 1968-71 - has been a member of the Yellow Jacket baseball staff for six years and is also a former volleyball coach for CHS and St. Mary's School.

<p class="p1">He previously spent 25 years as a carpenter before moving on to Menard Correctional Center for another 25-year stint.

<p class="p1">Now with 14 years of volunteer coaching under his belt, he was asked what winning the jackpot feels like.

<p class="p1">"It feels pretty good," he said. "My wife's (Mary Long) going to enjoy it, she's in California with our daughter.

<p class="p1">"She's going to enjoy getting that phone call."

<p class="p1">The day after the drawing, Long returned to the VFW to collect his winnings. After posing with the ceremonial check, he was escorted from the building with the money in a plastic bag under guard by Chester Police Chief Ryan Coffey and CPD Sgt. Bobby Helmers.

<p class="p1">"She was fairly happy," Long said, with a laugh, of his wife's reaction. "I only told her I won $1,500."

<p class="p1">As for who drew Long's ticket out of the tumbler, that credit goes to 10-year-old Chester Grade School fifth grader Angelina Bauer, who is also a member of the school's cross country team.

<p class="p1">Anticipation, as well as crowd sizes, had risen steadily in recent weeks at the VFW as numbers came off the board, with Chester firefighters having to deny people at the door due to overcrowding.

<p class="p1">The VFW's maximum occupancy is 400 and several hundred people were gathered outside prior to last week's drawing.

<p class="p1">"It's an impressive sight and a bit overwhelming," said Post 3553 Junior Vice Commander Shannon McDonough. "We enjoyed it. We embraced it."

<p class="p1">Long was asked what he planned to do with the winnings.

<p class="p1">"Pay bills," he said. "Maybe buy a couple of guns, whatever. Treat myself."

<p class="p1">Long later added that he planned to help his daughter, Shelby Long, with her college bills.

<p class="p1">Post 3553 isn't the only location conducting a Queen of Hearts drawing, as the Chester Eagles and Steeleville American Legion have also picked up the game, but the VFW's jackpot drew interest from three states.

<p class="p1">McDonough was asked how the VFW can keep up the momentum now that the buzz surrounding the 34-week-long jackpot, which started January 27, has dissipated somewhat.

<p class="p1">Post 3553 has already started a new Queen of Hearts drawing, with Wednesday's jackpot at $3,000.

<p class="p1">"We want to be the biggest Queen of Hearts drawing in the local area," said McDonough, who noted that VFW staff does not know which number is the winning number when they receive the official boards from Lancaster Bingo Company in Lancaster, Ohio.

<p class="p1">McDonough wishes to thank the community for its support through the process, as well as the City of Chester and Chester Police Department for making sure traffic and crowd control were handled. He also credited the VFW's staff - both paid and volunteer - for their help in making the drawing a success.

<p class="p1">As for the immediate future, McDonough promised the individual amounts for those who don't win the jackpot would be "bigger and better."

<p class="p1">"To date, the VFW has given away $54,501," McDonough said. "Plus $1,600 in gift certificates and giveaways."