On Friday, a group of co-workers from Mount Airy drove to Raleigh to claim its $200,000 lottery prize, and now the winners are deciding how to use the money.

“It helps out a lot,” said Danny Vaughn, who purchased the winning ticket for the group.

He plans to pay bills and go on vacation. When thinking about the cost of sending his kids to college, Vaughn said the money was a big boost.

The winnings were split between 14 people. After taxes, this amounts to around $9,700 apiece.

Henry Jones is another one of the winners, and he said, “I was pleased.”

Jones wants to take his grandchildren to the beach soon. He may buy them some Wii games and other items.

Each week, a group of 14 local people pool their money to purchase Powerball lottery tickets. The majority of the group works together at North Carolina Foam Industries in Mount Airy. They have each been putting in $5 a week to buy tickets for the Wednesday and Saturday night drawings ever since the North Carolina Education Lottery began several years ago.

The group had never won a large amount before the Jan. 9 Powerball drawing. According to Vaughn, the largest amount prior to that was the $150 they won in Virginia one time.

The men said buying lottery tickets is just something several of them like to do each week. Jones said, “I just like to play.”

According to Jones, Vaughn had the winning ticket in his car for three days before checking to see if he had won. He went to buy another ticket, and the cashier told him he should check the last ticket he had. When Vaughn checked, he saw that the numbers on his ticket matched five white balls in the Jan. 9 drawing.

“It was just a shock,” Vaughn remarked.

The 14 co-workers became instant celebrities after their win, appearing on several local news broadcasts. Jones said one of the men’s sons serving in Iraq saw the broadcast.

“It was a big pick-me-up,” said Jones.

He said his money is already in the bank. Jones said, “The money is great, but then too, just the good feeling it gives you.”

The winning ticket was purchased at Zip Food Store in Mount Airy. Rudy Easter, a clerk at the store, said $200,000 is the largest prize that has ever been won by a purchase from the store. There was a $10,000 winner from Zip Food Store around a year ago.

Although the group from NCFI has won a large prize, the men plan to continue playing each week.

“We’re still playing, and we may win again. You never can tell,” said Jones.

The 14 men that split the $200,000 prize are Jones, Vaughn, Lyle Bowman, Harry Brintle, Brandon Easter, Robert Easter, Jimmy Flinchum, Horace Flippin, Delman Hawkes, Rocky Hawks Jr., Michael Haynes, James Marshall, Jason Watson and Michael Wilson.

Contact Meghann Evans at mevans@mtairynews.com or 719-1952.