Giving Back to the Church
Holmes loved going to the Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church. It was her sanctuary ever since she was a kid. She took the teachings of the church and tried to demonstrate them in her daily life. To show her love and appreciation to the church, Holmes pledged 10% of her winnings to charity.
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Maybe if Marie Holmes claimed her money secretly and was able to give anonymous donations, it would be harder for people to take advantage of her. However, unlike other states, in North Carolina by law, all big lottery winner names are published for the public record.