Great Lakes Wire

Five years have passed since Phillip and Dawn Chippewa won an $80 million Powerball jackpot. Today, they manage Serenity Ranch, a 25-acre property dedicated to aid those dealing with trauma through equine therapy. The couple shared how they transformed their jackpot winnings into a means to give back to their community.

"Serenity Ranch represents how our lives have come full circle," said Dawn Chippewa. "When we got married, I had horses and as our family grew, I had to give them up because it just became too much to maintain."

"Dawn got rid of the horses years ago, I promised her that I would get her horses again someday," Phillip Chippewa explained. "When I made that promise I had no idea how I would ever make it happen, but I knew how important it was to her."

The life-changing moment occurred on September 21, 2019, when Phillip decided to buy Powerball tickets at Barrels and Barrels Party Store in Suttons Bay.

"Any time I would see the jackpot getting up there I would buy a few tickets and hope for the best," said Phillip. "I stopped at Barrels and Barrels the day of the Powerball drawing and almost walked out without buying the tickets, but at the last minute, I decided to get four plays."

The next day, the reality of their win set in. "I ran out to take a look at them and I didn’t have to look past the first line to see I was the winner," Phillip recalled. "My son pulled the numbers up on his phone and read them out loud while Dawn and I looked at the ticket together. By the time he was done, we both had tears in our eyes."

"Since we won the jackpot, our lives have transformed in some amazing ways," said Dawn. "As odd as it may seem, at first, it was very overwhelming to know that we’d never have to worry about money again. We put a team together to help manage our finances and as we talked about what we wanted to do with our new wealth we both were committed to giving back to the community and that’s when Serenity Ranch was born."

Serenity Ranch supports individuals with trauma, utilizing the healing attributes of horses. The initiative is operated on donations and volunteer efforts, reflecting the couple's commitment to community service.

"Hearing Phillip and Dawn Chippewa share their story and seeing the pride they have in Serenity Ranch is truly inspiring," commented Lottery Commissioner Suzanna Shkreli. "The work they are doing to give back to their community is incredibly important and highlights the good that can come from winning a Lottery prize."

"Being able to provide the community with a place they can come and heal has been life-changing for us," said Dawn. "When we won the Powerball jackpot, I knew that I wanted to stay active and involved in Suttons Bay, and Serenity has given me that opportunity. I put in more hours here than I ever did when I was working, but this is truly a labor of love for me."

For more information about Serenity Ranch, visit https://www.serenityranchllc.com.