Christmas Bucks Winners Of 2023 Announced
Teresa Powers, center, is the first place winner of 2023’s Christmas Bucks promotion, with $1,000 in holiday scrip awarded from her entry to Warsaw’s Dental Solutions. The Christmas Bucks can be spent at any of the 34 participating businesses. Pictured with Powers are The Papers’ Account Executive Carl Lauster, left, and Dr. Brock Spangle of Dental Solutions. Photo by Lilli Dwyer.
By LILLI DWYER
Staff Writer
The winners of The Papers’ annual Christmas Bucks promotion have been selected, bringing an early Christmas present to a lucky few in Kosciusko County.
This year’s first place winner is Teresa Powers of Warsaw, with a prize of $1,000 in holiday scrip awarded for her entry at Dental Solutions in Warsaw.
“I was shocked,” she said of her win. “It’s not every day someone calls you up and says, ‘you’re our top winner.’ I’m quite honored and excited to be here.”
Powers has participated in the contest before, but this is her first time winning anything. She submitted entries at a few other participating businesses, including Creighton’s Crazy Egg Cafe and Brouwer’s Carpet and Furniture. While she did not yet have plans for how she would spend her prize, she said she was considering visiting Brouwer’s again.
Powers is just one of several winners in this year’s contest.
Christmas Bucks can be redeemed the same as cash at any of the 34 businesses around Kosciusko and Elkhart counties that sponsored the promotion this year. Sponsors are listed on the back of each individual Christmas Buck.
The drawing was held Monday, Nov. 20 at The Papers, Inc. in Milford, yielding six other winners.
Other winners include:
• Second place, $500, Audrie Whitridge, Pierceton, Ace Hardware, North Webster.
• Third place, $500, Yasenia Naidu, Monarch Medical, Warsaw.
• Fourth place, $250, Barb Vancuren, Warsaw, Service Liquor, Warsaw.
• Fifth place, $250, George Graber, New Paris, Pine Valley Feeds, New Paris.
• Sixth place, $250, Jane Ciriello, Syracuse, Dockside Gifts & Apparel, Syracuse.
• Seventh place, $250, Marlene Slaubaugh, New Paris, Old Time Pizza, New Paris.
Each of the participating businesses drew a winner from the entries they received and sent that entry to The Papers Inc., where the ultimate winners were drawn. All the individual prizes combined total $3,000. The Christmas Bucks must be spent in any combination at any of the participating businesses by Sunday, Dec. 31.
The Christmas Bucks promotion will return to ‘the PAPER’ for 2024’s holiday season.
Audrie Whitridge, center, Pierceton, submitted her second place winning entry at Ace Hardware in North Webster. The Papers gives away a total of $3,000 in Christmas bucks that can be spent at any of the participating locations in Kosciusko and Elkhart Counties. Whitridge received $500 in Christmas Bucks. Pictured with her are Dennis and Anita Wagoner, owners of North Webster Ace Hardware. Photo by Susan Stump.
Yasenia Naidu, Warsaw, was the lucky third place winner of $500 in Christmas Bucks. Her winning entry was drawn from the box at Monarch Medical Esthetics in Warsaw. “I am so surprised and grateful to have won such a large amount of money,” stated Naidu. Pictured is Jennifer Elder, Patient Concierge for Monarch Medical Esthetics accepting the certificates on behalf of Naidu who was unavailable at the time of the photo. Monarch has proven to be “lucky location” as they had a major winner drawn from their second location in Rochester this year as well. Photo by Carl Lauster.
Barb VanCuren, Warsaw, was the fourth place winner of $250 in Christmas Bucks. VanCuren stopped in to pick up an IU Basketball schedule poster, filled out an entry and ended up winning big! This is actually the second win for VanCuren who won $800 in the The Paper Christmas Bucks contest several years ago. “I feel so blessed to have won this again. Thank you to all the local businesses that put this contest on every year” stated VanCuren. Pictured presenting the $250 to Vancuren is William Likens, Store Manager. Photo by Carl Lauster.
George Graber, New Paris, filled out his $250 fifth place winning entry at Pine Valley Feeds located on CR 50 in New Paris. “Wow! I was so surprised when I received the call that I had won! This is the largest prize I’ve ever won entering contests to date. I’m thankful to all our local businesses” noted Graber. Pictured presenting Graber with the winnings is The Paper Account Executive Carl Lauster on right. Photo provided by Pine Valley Feeds.
Jane Ciriello, Syracuse, is the sixth place Christmas Bucks winner with $250 from Dockside Gifts & Apparel in Syracuse. Ciriello, left, is pictured being presented with her prize by Jessie Chalk of Dockside Gifts & Apparel. Photo by Susan Stump.
Marlene Slaubaugh was the seventh place winner of $250. Her winning entry was chosen from the box located at Old Time Pizza in downtown New Paris. This is the second year in a row that a big winner has been drawn at this business. “It was quite a wonderful surprise to have won! I’ve registered every year at a couple of locations here and there and was finally picked as a winner. I’m just so grateful!” stated Slabaugh. Pictured presenting the winnings to Slaubaugh is Maci Haviland, employee at Old Time Pizza on the left. Photo by Carl Lauster.