Costco's Powerball winners finally speak

The money hasn't gone to their heads.

The 20 winners of a $201.9-million Powerball jackpot have worked and gotten along fairly well with colleagues at the Melville Costco since their numbers were drawn two weeks ago, workers and the store manager said Thursday.

"It has been a distraction -- no question about that. Everyone wants to touch the winners, to know them," manager Mike Bartoldus, of Northport, said as the winners took part in a news conference in the store parking lot.

The few winners who spoke to reporters Thursday said there had been no friction at the store between winners and others. The store has about 100 workers.

"Great. It's been great," merchandise manager and winner Kim Karkota, 37, said about the mood among workers. "Day-to-day business every day. Everybody's happy."

Payroll clerk Camille DiGiona, 41, said at her Lindenhurst home she plans to travel to Italy, give her car to her son, buy a new one for herself -- and continue working at Costco.

"Everybody there is great. You get that family rapport from everybody, so it's nice working there," DiGiona said.

Bartoldus said all of the winners, whose ages range from 24 to 73, have continued to work since the winning numbers were picked June 1. "We've tried to be accommodating. People have needed time off to handle this and we've worked it out, a day or two here and there," he said.

Bartoldus said he thought most of the workers were taking the day off Thursday -- but he wasn't sure because he was not working himself. Thursday was his 56th birthday and he planned to spent the afternoon with his family, he said.

"All of the people who work here get along with each other," he said, "and overall this has been a good thing."

Security worker and winner Ralph Green, 61, of Copiague, said he was contemplating retirement, but for now would just take a vacation.

"I think a trip to Vegas is appropriate," Green said.