Christmas Bucks Winners Announced
Trina Hall, center, was the first place winner in the PAPER’s annual Christmas Bucks contest. She won $1,000 in holiday scrip that can be used at any of the program’s 44 sponsoring businesses. Her winning entry was deposited at Dental Solutions in Warsaw. Pictured with Hall are the PAPER’s sales representative Carl Lauster, left, and Dr. William Stofer of Dental Solutions. InkFreeNews photo by Keith Knepp.
By Keith Knepp
InkFreeNews
MILFORD — Christmas cheer came a little early for some fortunate folks in Kosciusko County. The Paper’s annual Christmas Bucks drawing has been held and the winners have been chosen.
Susan Stump, left, and Carl Lauster, sales representatives for ‘the PAPER,’ are pictured drawing the winners for the Christmas Bucks promotion at The Papers Inc. corporate offices in Milford. InkFreeNews photo by Lauren Zeugner.
Taking home the top prize for 2022 was Trina Hall of Claypool. She earned $1,000 in holiday scrip for her entry at Dental Solutions in Warsaw. “I’m pretty excited to win!” she said. “My husband needs new tires, so we’ll probably spend some of the Christmas Bucks to get that done.”
Hall noted she has entered her name in the Christmas Bucks drawing in previous years but had never been selected as a winner. This year, Dental Solutions was the only place she submitted an entry coupon, which she did as she was waiting during her husband’s treatment by Dr. William Stofer.
“It’s great to give away money and to have another one of our clients win here,” said Stofer, who noted Dental Solutions has been a sponsor of the Christmas Bucks promotion for many years and has had several winners chosen from his business. “I’m happy to help make Christmas better for a local family.”
Hall was one of several winners of this year’s Christmas Bucks contest.
Christmas Bucks are redeemable by the winners the same as cash at any of the promotion’s 44 sponsors in multiple communities throughout Kosciusko, Elkhart, Noble and Marshall counties. Each sponsor is listed on the back of each individual Christmas Buck.
The drawing was held Nov. 21 at The Papers Inc. in Milford. The drawing yielded seven individual winners and one merchant winner.
Other winners included:
• Second place, $500, Jackie Snider, Warsaw, who submitted her entry at Hometown Pharmacy, Warsaw.
• Third place, $500, Amanda Buck, New Paris, Monteith Tire, Syracuse.
• Fourth place, $250, Derek O’Connor, Winona Lake, Biryani Kitchen, Warsaw.
• Fifth place, $250, Sally Carpenter, North Webster, Dockside Gifts and Apparel, Syracuse.
• Sixth place, $250, Maria Kelley, New Paris, Old Time Pizza, New Paris.
• Seventh place, $250, Willie Yoder, Millersburg, Millersburg Lumber.
Each participating merchant drew a winner from the entries deposited at their business and sent that entry to The Papers Inc., which conducted the annual holiday promotion. The winners were drawn from the pool of submitted entries. The prizes totalled $3,000 for individual winners. The Christmas Bucks must be spent in any combination at any of the program’s sponsoring businesses by Dec. 31.
Look for the Christmas Bucks promotion to return to ‘the PAPER’ during the 2023 holiday season!
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- Jackie Snider, Warsaw, was the lucky second place winner of $500 in the annual Christmas Bucks promotion. Her winning entry was pulled from the box at Hometown Pharmacy in Warsaw. “This certainly is good news,” she said upon hearing she was a winner. “It is such an unexpected surprise at this time of the year.” Pictured from left are Carl Lauster, The Papers’ sales representative; Snider; and Nicole Bailey, pharmacist/manager at Hometown Pharmacy. InkFreeNews photo provided by Hometown Pharmacy.
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- Amanda Buck, New Paris, was the third place winner in this year’s Christmas Bucks contest. “I was on my way home and was passing Monteith’s Best One Tire and Auto Care in Syracuse and remembered seeing an ad in ‘the PAPER’ that they were participating in the contest,” Buck recalled. She intentionally pulled over, went inside and registered for her chance to win. Her quick thinking managed to land the $500 prize. Buck was beside herself and thanked Monteith’s Tire for participating in the contest. Pictured from left are Kegan Woodling, Monteith Tire; Buck; and Carl Lauster, The Papers’ sales representative. InkFreeNews photo provided by Monteith’s Best One Tire and Auto Care.
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- Derek O’ Connor, Winona Lake, was the fourth place winner of $250 in Christmas Bucks. His winning entry was drawn from the box at Biryani Kitchen, an upscale Indian restaurant in Warsaw. O’Connor said he had never participated in past contests but saw the box and decided “why not?” “I am really thankful for my win,” he said. “It will be so much fun spending these certificates this holiday season.” Pictured are Karthik Rasekaran, manager of Biryani Kitchen, left, presenting the winnings to O’Connor. InkFreeNews photo by Carl Lauster.
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- The fifth place winner of $250 in Christmas Bucks was Sally Carpenter of North Webster, whose lucky entry was deposited at Dockside Apparel and Gifts in Syracuse. She’s pictured on the left, accepting her winnings from Darcy Tranter and Pat Tranter. InkFreeNews photo by Susan Stump.
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- Maria Kelley, New Paris, submitted her sixth place winning entry at Old Time Pizza in New Paris. Her entry snagged $250 in Christmas Bucks. Kelley said she submitted only two entries at different locations. When presented with the cash, Kelley was grateful and said, “This has made my Christmas season extra special!” Pictured from left are Carl Lauster, The Papers’ sales representative; Kelley’s daughter Donna Cripe; Kelley; and Deb Jones, owner, Old Time Pizza. InkFreeNews photo provided by Old Time Pizza.
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- Gretchen Miller, owner of Millersburg Lumber, is pictured accepting the seventh place prize of $250 Christmas Bucks on behalf of her customer, Willie Yoder of Millersburg. InkFreeNews photo by Susan Stump.
