After 30 years on the air and featuring thousands of contestants from all across Ohio, the little Fulton County village of Metamora, Ohio (pop. 620) will soon make show history when a native is featured on Ohio Lottery’s Cash Explosion.
Janet Doyle was recently selected to appear on the show for the March 18th edition. After scratching off an entry-winning ticket, the lifelong Metamora resident waited three months before entering once her computer was fixed. Even after waiting in anticipation to hear of a selection for weeks, Doyle missed the initial announcement on the program.
“The next thing i know the phone was buzzing,” Doyle said of the moments after her name appeared on-air.
Although not quite the habitual lottery player, Doyle says she spends about fifteen to twenty dollars per week on whatever lottery tickets catch her eye, scratching them off after she clocks out at her T-Mart job.
A retired kitchen manager in the Evergreen school district for 25 years, Doyle cites her previous most exciting victories in the form of cooking educational seminars and contests which took her across 32 states. In one particular contest hosted by Campbell’s Soup, Doyle won the national competition with her original “pizza soup” recipe.
“To this day I still make pizza soup. That was fun! I still got my certificate and apron in my memory drawer,” she said.
Doyle’s background in education provided a foundation in always being willing to serve and help others. At her 2008 retirement party, it was determined there was about 132 years worth of service to the school district between herself, her bus driver father, her brother, former Fulton County Commissioner and agricultural instructor Paul Barnaby, and her daughter, also a cafeteria worker.
“We felt our kids deserved an education in the cafeteria, as well as the classroom,” she said about her pioneering of the district’s breakfast program, still in use today,
As part of the Cash Explosion rewards to contestants, when Doyle travels to Columbus for the taping at the end of February, she’ll be granted complimentary overnight accommodations and will be able to bring as many supporters as she desires. In addition, each guest leaves with at least $5,000 in winnings.
If she does get lucky, Doyle already has a few items in mind to put the winnings to use.
“I would like new flooring all throughout my house, and if I win big, I’d like to put a little away for [my grandson] and his education,” she said.
No matter how the outcome of the game, Doyle doesn’t plan on making dramatic changes to her life in Metamora or her part-time employment at T-Mart anytime soon.
“Now I’m here and enjoy everyday and get to be around people. I’m not quitting my job. I enjoy the people. I’m just not ready for a rocking chair yet,” she said.
Yet again, even as they cheer her on, the familiar faces and village of Metamora aren’t quite ready to let her go, either.
“She is energetic. She doesn’t let anything stop her. She’s on the go constantly, doing things for others always before herself. I couldn’t be happier for her. It’s a pretty amazing thing. We’ve been here 26 years and never had anyone on the show. We’re all pretty excited for her,” Cheryl Truckor, the owner of T-Mart, said of Doyle.
For anyone who hopes to follow in her shoes and try their luck at appearing on the show themselves, Doyle has but one piece of advice:
“All you can do is keep on trying. Keep on trying. One never knows now,” she said.
Doyle’s appearance on Cash Explosion will air locally at 7:30 pm on Saturday, March 18, 2017 on WTVG, channel 13.
Cory Johnson may be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com