(WSIL) -- Gov. Andy Beshear congratulated the second set of winners in  sweepstakes Friday, the state’s vaccine incentive program to encourage Kentuckians to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
“Congratulations to all of our winners! When you’re the Governor you get to do a lot interesting things, but getting to tell folks they just won a million dollars or that their kid’s education is taken care of, that’s pretty high on the list of duties I look forward to,� said Gov. Beshear. “Now, with the delta variant surging, it’s more important than ever that we talk about why we’re doing this drawing in the first place. We did it to encourage everyone to get vaccinated. Everyone eligible should sign up for a vaccine and the remaining drawing as soon as possible.�
The Governor said the second drawing was conducted Thursday, randomly selecting one adult Kentuckian for the $1 million prize and five youth to receive full-ride scholarships to a Kentucky public college, university, technical or trade school.
The winner of the $1 million prize is Ginger Schultz from Louisville.
“I have never experienced anything like this. It’s shocking because you don’t really think you’re going to win,� said Ginger Schultz. “Why take a chance at getting very sick and possibly die or even passing it on to someone else? That’s what my main concern was. My mom is 85 and she has breathing issues and I have always been very concerned about her getting it or me passing it on to her.�
The five Kentucky youth selected for full scholarships are:
- Shelby Anderson of Louisville
- Isabella Brozak of Crestwood
- TJ Ponder of Owenton
- Reese Johnson of Harrodsburg
- Julian Sandberg of Ft. Mitchell
Shelby Anderson, who was joined by her parents, Chip and Kate Anderson, and sister Georgia, said: “As an immunocompromised person, there was no second guessing my decision to be vaccinated. I took the vaccine unaware of the shot at a million scholarship, and I am so grateful I have the vaccine and I got a scholarship for doing it. I’m looking forward to the opportunities this scholarship provides me and what those will turn in to.�
Vaccinated Kentuckians still have one more chance to become a millionaire or a scholarship winner. The remaining incentive drawing will take place Aug. 26, with one millionaire and five scholarship recipients announced the following day. Those who have not won remain eligible for the final drawing.
Gov. Beshear initially announced the Shot at a Million sweepstakes June 4. Since then, more than 692,000 adult Kentuckians and more than 40,900 youth have signed up for the sweepstakes.
Permanent residents of Kentucky can enter to win at , if they have received at least the first dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines or the one-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.
- $1 million: Kentuckians 18 and older who have received at least their first dose of a Moderna or Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, or the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, may enter to win one of three $1 million prizes.
- Full Scholarship: Kentuckians 12 to 17 years old who have received at least their first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine may enter to win one of 15 full scholarships to a Kentucky public college, university, technical or trade school, which includes tuition, room-and-board and books.
For more information, official rules and to enter, visit .
