For nearly two months, Doug and Enid Hannon of Lakefield kept a big secret from their entire family – a $70 million secret.

The couple, who have been married for 51 years, are Ontario’s newest multi-millionaires after winning the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot in the February 20 draw.

During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long. 

Even though Enid purchased the Quick Pick Lotto Max ticket at a grocery store while on the way to their camp, it was Doug who discovered the big win the day after the draw, when he checked the ticket on the OLG App.

“I was completely unaware that a winning ticket had been sold in our area. So, when I saw ‘Big Winner’ on the phone screen, I was shaking. My heart was pounding. I had to stare at it for a while and process all those zeroes. Then I had to check it a few more times.”

Doug, who has been retired for a few years, decided not to mention anything to his wife until she got home from work.

“I went to the garage and buried my head in some work while I struggled with disbelief and thought about our next steps,” Doug said. He made sure dinner was ready when Enid got home and waited until after they ate to share the news.

“Doug told me to come into the computer room, and the OLG website was on the computer screen. He told me to check the numbers on the ticket. When I realized we had won a prize, I first thought it was a $70,000 win. Doug told me to recount all the zeros, and that’s when it hit me that we had won $70 million,” Enid said.

That’s when the emotions let loose.

“We hugged and cried and started talking about this wonderful opportunity we now have to help family and others,” she said.

The couple decided to keep this multi-million dollar win amongst themselves for a while – they even kept it a secret from their grown children and grandchildren.

They agreed first to get financial and legal advice as they started to make some plans for the money.

Not telling anyone was difficult for Enid as she is very open and expressive with all who know her.

“Keeping this secret was killing me,” she said.

About a week before collecting their prize at the winner celebration, Doug and Enid finally told their children and grandchildren about their good fortune. Everyone was in disbelief and extremely happy for them.

During the celebration, the couple shared a few of their plans for some of the money.

Doug, who loves the outdoors, said he wants to travel.

“I would like to travel across Canada to experience the beautiful nature of this country from coast to coast,” Doug said.

Enid, who is about to retire, is excited about starting some long-awaited renovations to their home.

“I have been dreaming about a new kitchen for years, and now I will get it, along with some other improvements to the house, because we love where we live, and we don’t want to move,” she said.

The couple both agree that the number one priority for this money is their family.

“Our family is most important; we want to share this with them. I want to ensure everyone is safe, secure and well taken care of.”

They also plan to share some of their winnings with community causes close to their hearts.

At the end of the winner celebration, the Hannons decided to let the secret out to their extended family members. They invited them to a special family meeting where they revealed the $70 million win and a promise of a big family trip to celebrate together.

“This is truly a blessing for us and our family,” said Enid and Doug. “Like many people, you always hope to win the lottery, but we never dreamt this would happen to us. We are so very thankful.”

The winning ticket was purchased at Kinmount Independent Grocer on Kawartha Lakes County Rd 121 in Kinmount.

A Newfoundland-made vodka has been named one of the world’s best by judges at this year’s World Vodka Awards.

Wooden Walls Distilling took the top prize in the varietal vodka category, beating out competitors in North America, Europe and Australia. Judges said their Evening Tide Vodka had a “funky and distinct aroma,” and a “compelling unique quality.”

“To have it recognized on a world stage was just really, you know, unexpected for us and exciting at the same time,” said Matthew Pribag, who manages the distillery in downtown St. John’s.

The distillery uses a mix of wheat, rye and oats in their Evening Tide Vodka, and co-founder Peter Madden said a long fermentation process helps set the spirit apart.

The vodka spends about a week fermenting at the distillery in St. John’s, before it is distilled, filtered and bottled.

“We do it at a lower temperature, just to have a process that is slow, controlled and pulls those flavours out really well,” Madden said.

He said each of the grains comes from farms in Atlantic Canada.

The award is an early recognition for the young distillery, which opened its doors in St. John’s in late 2022.

“It only takes one sip, I think, for people to recognize the quality and craftsmanship that goes into our products,” said Pribag.

Madden said business has been tougher than expected, but he’s hoping an international award will help the distillery make more inroads in Newfoundland and Labrador.

“We’re the only distillery and the first distillery ever in St. John’s,” Madden said.

“First legal distillery, we always say,” he added with a laugh.

The business draws from many traditional elements in Newfoundland and Labrador. The name Wooden Walls is a homage to the large boats that carried men from St. John’s to the sealing grounds near the turn of the 20th century.

The tasting room is located in downtown St. John’s, in a building that once housed Templeton’s — a well-known and long-running family paint shop.

Staff have overseen extensive renovations to project a “comforting, speakeasy vibe,” said Pribag.

In a province that has particular alcohol preferences — and some heavy favourites — it can be hard for a new entrant to break into the market.

“It’s very hard to differentiate,” Madden said. “We want people to know that we’re actually making this stuff right downtown.”

“There’s a difference. It’s made here. There’s so much care put into each bottle. It’s different than the other products you see on the shelves in that way.”

Madden’s true love is whiskey, and his staff are planning to spend more time and energy in that market in the future — but he said the Evening Tide vodka will always be the distillery’s signature vodka.

The drink capped off their “Maiden Voyage” series of vodkas, where staff created four single-grain vodkas, sent them into customers’ cups for feedback, and tried to combine the best parts into one drink.

The vodka is available to purchase at liquor stores in Newfoundland and Labrador, and Madden said he hopes he can soon make the spirit available across the country.

“It will just take some time, and then we’ll get there.”

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 Deciding on Your Focal Point
Do you have a magnificent bay window with an incredible view?  Is there an ornate mantle that is the reason you fell in love with your home? Or is there something you absolutely MUST HAVE in the room? Situate your furniture around your chosen focal point to create balance and equilibrium. If your room does not already have an existing focal point, create one with oversized art or add an accent point like a free-standing fireplace, they come in a variety of sizes and styles. Symmetrically balance the room evenly so that both sides mirror one another.  This will help your chosen focal point stand out all the more! Use matching accent tables to flank your sofa or use different pieces of furniture to create a copacetic visual impact, like two similar armchairs to balance a sofa.
Repetition for Rhythm
Rhythm creates a flow and helps direct the eye to the differing visual elements in your room. Just as the notes of a favorite song repeat to create the rhythm, repetition in decor will create a rhythm throughout a home. Establish visual interests with a rhythm throughout your space by placing similar colours or patterns at intervals and repeat in artwork, cushions or area rugs.

Perfect Proportion and Suitable Scaling
Who doesn’t love a large, overstuffed chair? But if your room is on the smaller size it may look out of place and make your room seem even smaller than it is. Keep proportion in perspective. Proportion is the ratio between a piece of furniture and the size of a room. Scale is the size of a piece of furniture in relation to the other pieces of furniture in the room. A super large chair will overpower an apartment of loft size sofa or loveseat and create a sense of unbalance in the room.

Have your room humming harmoniously
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What is the focal point in your room?  What is your best tip to find harmony and balance through your home?