Contests and Sweepstakes

My family has always enjoyed entering contests. When she was in high school, my mother was a finalist in the Pillsbury Bake-Off and won a trip to Hollywood. Her recipe was an Apricot Coconut cake. Though she didn’t win, we have a picture of her with Ronald Reagan. She and her sister also won various other cooking contests which brought two new stoves to their family.

As for me, I won a local pie-baking contest once for a pear pie (mmmm!):hungry: and I was a spelling bee junkie. Spelling was always easy for me, and by golly I wanted that Encyclopedia Brittanica that was first prize. Alas, it was not to be. I was brought down by the word dilapidated. I spelled it with two L’s, and my spelling career was shot down.

In my mind, I always wondered whether those national sweepstakes ever meant anything. You know the ones–enter to win a free trip to Hollywood to watch the finale of American Idol! Or–enter to see Vanna White get her Hollywood Star on the Walk of Fame!

My brother has always been a Wheel of Fortune devotee. I’m not sure if he’s ever missed an episode. I admire him a lot because, despite his disabilities, he holds a steady job, is a good citizen and has friends at work. He doesn’t make excuses for the challenges life has thrown him but does the best he can. All his life, for birthdays and Christmas, he would light up if we gave him a computer Wheel of Fortune game. And just for kicks, my mom entered his name in the Wheel of Fortune drawing on tv.

He won. :crazyjumping: Next month, he and my mother will fly to Hollywood to meet Vanna White, go on tours and parties, and there might be a chance my mom could compete on the show. When I heard the news, my first thought was: sometimes Fate gets it right. Out of all the people in the United States who could have won the contest, it will mean the most to my brother. This is a dream come true for him, and he deserves it. I’m really happy for him. So if they happen to televise any of it, and you see a guy named Frank Willingham, you’ll know it’s my brother. Woo hoo!

Have you ever won a contest (writing or otherwise)?

P.S.–Keep your fingers crossed for me. I entered the Golden Heart contest for romance writing, and the finalists are announced tomorrow.