Kathy Phillips of Hendersonville finished her shift at her grocery store on Easter Sunday, purchased four $5 scratch-off tickets, and ended up winning “Mega Bucks” with a $200,000 top prize.

Phillips has owned Time Saver Grocery & Service on West Blue Ridge Road in East Flat Rock for 43 years, first opening the grocery store in 1977.

“With it being Easter Sunday I didn’t do anything that afternoon,” said Phillips. “It was the next day that I actually scratched the tickets.” Once Monday rolled around, Phillips discovered her good fortune.

“I thought, ‘Oh my goodness!’” she recalled. “I was startled.”

Phillips claimed her prize on Thursday and after federal and state tax withholdings, she took home $141,501. She plans to use her winnings to save for her future. “It will go into retirement for later on,” said Phillips.

Ticket sales from scratch-offs make it possible for the lottery to raise more than $700 million per year for education. For details on how $5.3 million raised by the lottery made a difference in Henderson County last year, visit www.nclottery.com and click on the “Impact” section.