RALEIGH – Tim Kirby, a supervisor at a cable manufacturer, plans to use the $233,917 he won in the March 29 Cash 5 drawing to pay off his mortgage, fund his children’s education, and purchase a convertible for his wife.

Kirby, who lives in Taylorsville in Alexander County, was at work when he learned his ticket matched all five numbers in the drawing.

“I get the winning numbers texted to me,” Kirby said. “I looked at the first few numbers and then down at my ticket. They all matched. I stood there for a while and just stared back and forth. I just couldn’t believe it.”

After taxes were withheld, Kirby received a check for $159,063. He purchased his winning ticket at the Propst Superette on N.C. 16 South in Taylorsville.

Two other tickets matched all five numbers in the March 29 drawing, each worth $233,917.They were both sold at the Kangaroo Express on North Church Street in Rocky Mount. Players have 180 days from the draw date to claim their prizes.

Since the lottery began through June 30 of 2011, Alexander County education programs received more than $6.6 million in lottery funds. By law, those funds pay for teachers’ salaries, school construction, need-based college scholarships and prekindergarten programs.

To date, the N.C. Education Lottery has raised more than $2.2 billion for these initiatives statewide.