$2M Grand Prize Winner Of MI's Vaccine Sweepstakes Revealed

LANSING, MI—A Bloomfield Hills resident is the winner of the $2 million grand prize of Michigan's COVID-19 vaccine sweepstakes, officials announced during a news conference on Monday.

Christine Duvall, of Bloomfield Township, was greeted by Michigan Commission Director Kerry Ebersole Singh at her home as the $2 million grand prize winner.

Duvall moved to Michigan 13 years ago with her husband and three children from Montreal and got her COVID-19 vaccine in April.

"First of all, we want to put aside money to help our kids and pay for their education," Duvall said at the news conference. "We are really lucky and want to give back to those who are in need. We believe in the need to proving services that promote positive mental health care is more important now than ever. It's why we will be donating some of grand prize to improve mental health series in our community."

The grand prize drawings also included the eight remaining winners of the $50,000 daily drawings and the 9 college scholarships.

Landon Burkhart, 16, an upcoming senior at Dakota High School in Macomb County, was one of the scholarship winners.

"I got vaccinated on April 17 and May 8 this year at the Macomb County Health Department," Burkhart said at the news conference. "And I did it so I can protect my close family, alongside my special needs brother, who could be the most impacted by this."

Landon said he will use his scholarship to fulfill his dreams of being a video game designer.

The other scholarship winners were:

• Karan Choudhary, Plymouth High School, Wayne County
• Josiah DeBaets, Eastern High School, Kent County
• Ian Miller, Salem High School, Wayne County
• Meadow Surman, White Lake Middle School, Oakland County
• Mallory Wheeler, Reading High School, Hillsdale County
• Jackson Wittwer, Eisenhower High School, Macomb County
• Kamare Wright, Thurston High School, Wayne County
• Hudson Chambers, Grand Rapids City High/Middle School, Kent County

The winners of the $50,000 daily prizes announced Monday are:

• Todd Demeyers of Oakland Township, who was vaccinated July 23
• Alyssa Armstrong of Caledonia, who was vaccinated July 24
• Caleb Nielsen of Paw Paw, who was vaccinated July 25
• Brandon Ebright of Okemos, who was vaccinated July 26
• Kevin Underwood of Lowell, who was vaccinated July 27
• Brian Kulesz of Sterling Heights, who was vaccinated July 28
• Jacqueline Paul of Indian River, who was vaccinated July 29
• Breya Matthews of Grand Rapids, who was vaccinated July 30

While Michigan failed to reach its goal of 70% of residents 16 and older with at least one dose by the end of the sweepstakes, it did entice more than 141,809 residents ages 16 and older to get coronavirus vaccines, which pushed the immunization rate among that population from 61% to 63%.

"We're going to keep making efforts to reach people where they are, answer their questions and help people get their shots," Whitmer said during the news conference. "Our lottery was just one strategy we use to promote vaccinations. The work ahead is harder still, but we will get there."