In 1988 my mom entered a contest at a grocery store to win a car. She got ten entry forms, filled them out, and submitted them at the store.
To see if her name would be drawn to attempt to win the car, she had to go to a live drawing at a park in town. They drew one name from each of the 7-8 locations you could drop off entries, and hers was the first name drawn!
She went on stage and picked out a random envelope with a key in it. As each name was drawn, the person picked out an envelope with a key in it too. The person whose key started the car won it.
Mom went first and her key didn’t start it. Every single person went, and none of the keys worked. So the people running the contest checked the keys and Mom’s worked! She won a Ford Festiva!
Festiva in front, ’39 Chevy Coupe in the background
Mom LOVED that car. She only drove it in warm weather (never in the winter) and drove it for about 20 years. I have lots of memories of riding in that car.
I’m glad I called my parents to ask about this story because I had some major details wrong in my head. And there were parts I didn’t know – like that the person from the contest who drove it home parked it in their driveway that night and another house member didn’t know it was there and backed in to it (er, been there, done that). I also didn’t know the sales tax and income tax claim details.
Mom, me, and my older bro
Mom, me, and my younger bro – whose birthday is today – Happy Birthday Anthony!
I’ve probably shared this story before, but I am sharing it again because I recently entered a radio contest to win $20,000 and maybe… good luck runs in my family and I will win big?! Cross your fingers for me! Ha.
To qualify to enter the drawing to win $20,000, I submitted my name and info on The Drive’s website, and had to listen 5 specific times a day to see if they called my name. If they did, and I called back in ten minutes, I would be entered. And guess what?! They called my name last Tuesday!
I got so excited when I heard my name on the radio, that my heart rate immediately went sky high. I was in the office by myself, so I ran to the stairs and shouted to Steven (he was upstairs) “they called my name on The Drive!!!”* He said “call them!” (he knew I only had ten minutes to call). My hands wouldn’t work and I was all out of breath and said “I can’t remember how to use my phone!” But I figured it out and called right away and sounded out of breath and completely derpitty (I have no chill), but I am entered to win! And I won a $25 Amazon gift card for calling in, yay!
If I’m ever on the radio again I really need to remember to be more chill…
*Steven later told me my excitement level was similar to when I found Khali after she went missing last year on October 21… this happened on October 20! Random!
EEEEEK! I can feel your excitement and hope hope hope that you win!!!
The story of your mom and her car is awesome. I love hearing things like this, and to see that she drove it for so long shows how much of an impact winning that car had on her. Plus the cute pictures from that time – awww, little Kim and her sibs!
Thank you!
Isn’t it? I love that it happened to such a kind, joyful, deserving person, too. She said her face hurt from smiling so much after she won! And that they went to Wendy’s to sign the paperwork and she was so excited she couldn’t eat.
I was happy my dad found some pics with me in them!
I totes love the entirety of the this post!! Gah! I hope you win!
Thanks! <3
Wow, so exciting! I hope luck runs in the family – it’d be so cool if you won $20,000! But honestly, just making it into the qualifying pool sounds really cool, too. I don’t think I’ve ever known anyone who actually won a radio contest at all before! Good luck!
I hope it does too, eeeeeeeee! And yes, I was just so excited that they called my name! And I got my Amazon gift card yesterday – yay!
Oh, wow!!! I am so excited for you and I really hope you win – hopefully you got some of your mom’s “lucky” genes. I love the story about her winning the car!
When is the final draw for the $20,000?
Thanks! I hope so too! Isn’t that just the best story? I love that that happened to my mom. She’s such a sweetheart and deserves all the nice things in the world.o
I am not sure! I think the last time they call names is Friday so maybe next week?!
It really is the best story! She looks so happy in the picture with you and Anthony! (And they remind me so much of your sister and her son…)
Fingers crossed for next week!
Whoa, I don’t think I’ve ever known anyone who won something big like that (a car, money, the McDonald’s Monopoly game…which I found out was being used as a money laundering scheme). That’s a cool story!
Who/what is behind the $20K prize money? Is it from a specific company sponsoring the give-away on the radio? I hope you win! (Dumb question: are prizes like that taxed at the short-term capital gains rate?)
OMG the Monopoly series on HBO. Gawd it was SO drawn out! But interesting!
They do not say who is sponsoring the money besides the station! Thanks! And that is not a dumb question! I am not sure what the name is, but from what I have researched it might have 25% taken out of it for federal taxes before I get it, then I had to add it as taxable income and pay taxes on it. So it’s taxed at the income rate?
Fingers crosssssssed! How exciting is that!!
Also, that car is such a 90s-looking car, hahaha. I’m sure our family had one just like it!
Thanks!
Isn’t it though? LOLOLOL