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Wayne White | Managing Editor
OSAGE CITY—“I’m very excited, but very cold,”
said Jeni Bahnmaier, of Reading, one of two $1,000 winners in Saturday’s
Christmas on Us drawing, held in downtown Osage City.
Bahnmaier joined Gail Lohmeyer, Osage City, in winning one of the
top prizes in the annual drawing sponsored by The Osage County Herald-Chronicle
and 28 Osage County merchants. About 500 people braved mind-numbing
cold weather to check their numbers against those drawn from a giant
hopper filled with tickets.
“I didn’t expect to win,” Lohmeyer said after
collecting her $1,000 in scrip money that she can spend at any of
the participating merchants.
Lohmeyer obtained her winning ticket at Osage Building Materials
sometime during the four-week promotion. Bahnmaier and the two $250
winners, Wanda Paxton, Osage City, and Tracy Lane, Osage City, all
received their winning tickets at Jerry’s Thriftway.
“I plan to spend it on Christmas, grandkids, and probably
for groceries at Jerry’s,” said Bahnmaier.
“I don’t know what I’m going to spend it on,”
said Lohmeyer, “possibly Christmas dinner. I’ll spend
it in town.”
Lohmeyer’s ticket was drawn from the hopper by Jim Ullery,
of Jim’s Garage, Scranton, a sponsor of the contest. State
representative-elect Willie Prescott pulled Bahnmaier’s ticket
out of more than 120,000 tickets.
Each ticket represented $10 in sales at participating sponsors,
with the total promotion tallying over $1.2 million in sales in
the county.
Lane’s $250 prize was collected by her mother-in-law, Jeri
Spicer, Osage City. Spicer said the money would likely be spent
on groceries. Paxton said she would probably spend her $250 prize
“at the grocery store or another business in Osage City.”
The $250 prizes were drawn from the hopper by Max Cohen, M&M
Market, Lyndon, and Jerry Olson, Osage Chevy-Buick, Osage City.
Rounding out the promotion were the $50 winners. The $50 prizes
drawn from the hopper Saturday morning were those left over from
instant prizes offered throughout the last month in the newspaper.
Instant prizes could be won by matching ticket numbers with those
found in sponsors’ ads during the promotion.
Of the five instant prizes remaining, two were claimed before Saturday’s
drawing.
Cindy Cook, Osage City, claimed one of those prizes soon after the
newspaper was distributed last Wednesday. Her winning ticket number
appeared in an ad for Jerry’s Thriftway, and she received
her ticket at McCoys Radio Shack.
Waiting until the last minute to collect their prize were Twila
and Tom Athon, Overbrook, who showed up at the newspaper office
about 20 minutes before the drawing began at 10 a.m. The Athon’s
winning ticket number was located in last week’s El Mezcal
ad; their ticket came from Overbrook BP and Wheat State Pizza.
The three remaining $50 winners drawn included a ticket belonging
to Jim Harrelson, pastor at Stotler Covenant Church, Osage City.
Harrelson’s ticket came from Furniture Loft.
“It was the church’s ticket, so we will buy something
for the church,” Harrelson said.
Another $50 winner was Debby Fagan, Osage City, whose winning ticket
came from Lyndon Building Materials.
“I’m going to buy groceries and gas,” she said.
The final $50 winner was Lewis Smiles, Burlingame.
“I don’t know what I’m going to buy,” Smiles
said, “but I was excited to win.” He said he had obtained
over 220 tickets during the promotion, and was chilled while trying
to check the numbers during the drawing.
Despite the blowing wind and low temperature, this year’s
drawing went fast, with only two unclaimed tickets drawn. City of
Osage City staff had closed Market Street for the drawing, and everyone
gathered behind corners of buildings to stay out of the wind, huddled
together while newspaper staff served hot chocolate and doughnuts.
Winners of the Christmas on Us Coloring Contest were recognized
prior to the drawing: Kalub Craig, 10; Trinity Mullins, 4; April
Kliment, 5; Jasmine Stevens, 8. The coloring contest was sponsored
by Kansas State Bank, Overbrook, Citizens State Bank, Lyndon, State
Bank of Carbondale, Carbondale Child Development Center, Glenda
White, CPA, Osage City, VanArsdale Funeral Chapel, Osage City, First
Security Bank, Overbrook, Bank of Osage City, and Cotton O’Neil
Clinic, Osage City. Rick Bryan, Bank of Osage City, and Darrell
Simpson, First Security Bank, were enlisted to distribute the winners’
framed entries and $50 savings bonds.
Sponsors of Christmas on Us included: Aunt Dee’s BP, Osage
City, Casey’s General Store, Osage City, D&D Tire, Scranton,
Dr. Jacoby & Staff, Osage City, El Mezcal, Osage City, Feltner
Floors & Furniture, Lyndon, Four Corners Steakhouse & Lounge
, Four Corners, From the Heart, Overbrook, Furniture Loft, Osage
City, Gibson TrueCare Pharmacy, Osage City, Harmon Dental, Osage
City, Jerry’s Thriftway, Osage City, Jim’s Garage, Scranton,
Lamont Hill, Vassar, Lyndon Building Material, Lyndon, Lyndon Phillip
66, Lyndon, M&M Market, Lyndon, McCoy’s Radio Shack, Osage
City, Osage Building Material, Osage City, Osage Chevrolet Buick,
Osage City, RC Saloon & Branding Iron Restaurant, Scranton,
RJ’s Auction Service, Four Corners, Santa Fe Trail Meats,
Overbrook, Sloop Sales & Hook’s Repair, Lyndon, Sonic,
Osage City, Theel Plumbing, Heating & Cooling Inc., Osage City,
TNT Video, Osage City, Wheat State Pizza and Overbrook Gas &
Convenience Store, Overbrook, and The Osage County Herald-Chronicle.
Photos by Wayne White | Herald-Chronicle
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