Severn couple wins $100,000 lottery | Maryland Gazette (HometownGlenBurnie.com)

"He rolled his eyes a little bit," Mrs. Steele said.

The couple was out to get gas, not to buy lottery scratch-offs. But in that first pack of tickets, a blackjack game revealed the top prize of $100,000.

For any family, this winning would be big. For the Steeles, the May 7 ticket is huge. It might allow them to move out the 30-year-old trailer in Severn they call home, and into a new house.

"We're looking forward to doing some things we haven't been able to do," Mrs. Steele said. "We've never taken a family vacation."

Mr. Steele works as a programmer for a sheet metal company in Beltsville. He supports his wife and their two kids on $35,000 to $40,000 a year so that Mrs. Steele can stay home with the children. He gets up at 3 a.m. and heads into work and is usually home around 4 p.m.

"It's been hard," Mrs. Steele said. "We've always taught the kids we have what we need and the extra will come. We just have to work hard and wait for it."

Anne Arundel County ranks fourth in the state for lottery receipts, trailing Baltimore City, and Baltimore and Prince George's counties. In fiscal year 2007, the state made more than $1.5 billion in lottery revenue. 58 percent of the proceeds went to winners.

Northway Liquors in Millersville, which has put up a banner to advertise the winning ticket, has seen an increase in sales.

"It's created a little bit of controversy," said store owner Barry Steller. "It definitely increased the sales of party packs, which have been dying."

Although money has been tight for the Steeles, they say they're happy. Their mobile home has a small flat screen TV and stereo, and three bedrooms. The kids get new clothes at the start of the school year and at the beginning of the summer.

Mr. Steele's family gives the kids clothing for birthdays and Christmas presents. They even just bought their second new car in February, a Saturn View.

The couple married 14 years ago and lived in Mrs. Steele's parents' basement for a year. When they had their first child, James, they moved to a basement apartment, where they lived for five years.

At the time, Mrs. Steele, who doesn't drive, was able to work evenings at a nearby store and later a fast food restaurant. She stopped working when they moved to Bells Mobile Home Park because there isn't anything nearby.

"I've always been fortunate to stay home," she said. "That's important to us, to stay home with the kids."

James, a student at Old Mill Middle South who turned 13 yesterday, and Amanda, an 11-year-old student at Ridgeway Elementary School, are excited but don't want to have to change schools.

"The prospect of moving and leaving friends, they're not really happy about," Mrs. Steele said.

The mobile home park became a senior community last May, and there's only one child the same age as James and Amanda living nearby. The community isn't kicking anyone out, but is not renting space to any more families with kids.

"We would just like to be in a place more kid friendly because now we know there's absolutely no chance of other kids moving in," Mrs. Steele said.

Mrs. Steele said she and her husband will probably take the kids out to dinner, a rare treat, and go to Ocean City. The Steeles plan on putting most of the money into the bank until they make some firm decisions about the future.

Sherley Steele, Mr. Steele's mother, whose trailer they inherited, said her son works very hard. He used to work on old cars, so he often finds himself over at his parents' house repairing their cars. She said it was about time someone who needed the lottery money won.

"They do the best they can," she said. "It's exciting to see that they can do a little bit better."

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mshapiro@mdgazette.com