A Kennebec County woman in her early 60s has been selected as the winner of Maine's nearly $900,000 coronavirus vaccine sweepstakes.
Kay Spofford, a dietician from the town of Winslow, received two doses of COVID-19 vaccine in January and February at MaineGeneral Medical Center’s Thayer Center for Health in Waterville, according to a news release from the office of Gov. Janet Mills.
The final prize amount, $896,809, is meant to represent one dollar for every Mainer who has received at least one dose of coronavirus vaccine through July 4, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“It still feels surreal that I’m the winner of the sweepstakes,” said winner Kay Spofford. “My husband and I strive for a simple life, but this money will give us peace of mind in our retirement and allow us to make repairs to our house and travel to visit our children and our grandbaby on the way."
She added, "I encourage everyone in Maine to get vaccinated to keep themselves and others safe and to help Maine continue leading the fight against COVID-19.”
State officials commended Spofford for getting vaccinated to help protect herself, her community and her patients from the virus.
“On this Fourth of July, I thank Kay and all Maine people who have rolled up their sleeves to declare their independence from COVID-19," said Mills.
“People across Maine are able to gather safely to celebrate this Fourth of July thanks to people like Kay," said Maine CDC Director Nirav Shah. "These vaccines are safe, effective, and free. If you haven’t yet rolled up your sleeve, we urge you to visit a vaccination clinic as soon as you can.”
Maine received 350,256 entries for the sweepstakes. The Mills administration says that Spofford was randomly selected from among all eligible entries, using a process that mirrored that used by the Maine State Lottery.
