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Kathleen Stasso couldn’t believe her luck when she opened her front door Monday morning.
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In her driveway, adorned with balloons and a bow, was a new hybrid Chrysler Pacifica, and Stasso discovered she was one of two grand prize winners at WEVax to win the Windsor and Essex County COVID-19 vaccine lottery. .
“Wait until I tell (the family), they will be very excited,” Stasso said, almost speechless amid his excitement. “This is just fantastic.”
This is a complete surprise to me
Presented by Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens, Stasso said she knew she had won something, hoping perhaps the tuition award for her grandchildren, or at least some movie tickets.
Stasso said he had never won anything like this before, but he has been encouraging all of his friends and family to get vaccinated.
“My dad is 97 years old and he was very grateful when he got it, he was very concerned and grateful that he got it,” Stasso said. “How we could get it, we got it. Same with the reinforcement, as soon as we can. “
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Unbeknownst to her, Stasso’s husband, Dan, knew she had won the grand prize and conspired with the city to make Monday’s performance a surprise.
“It was very difficult, I didn’t tell anyone, not the children, not the grandchildren, to anyone,” said Dan Stasso. “It was very hard because I wanted to shout it from the rooftops.”
Dilkens said she will always remember the look of surprise on Stasso’s face when she opened the door and realized that the car was for her.
“She has been a great advocate, encouraging everyone she knows to get vaccinated so that we can overcome this pandemic together,” Dilkens said. “Delivering the minivan to your door today and the look on your face when you opened the door is certainly priceless.”
At Tecumseh, Essex County Director Gary McNamara presented another Pacifica to winner Pauline Lesperance.
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“I really appreciate this. For something that is so simple: get vaccinated and be part of the solution instead of being part of the problem,” Lesperance said.
Lesperance, whose daughter is a nurse and worked through the pandemic, said she was grateful to get her vaccine and plans to get her booster shot soon.
“This is a complete surprise to me. I am very grateful.”
More than 66,000 people have participated in the WEVax to Win contest since it opened in September. A partnership between the City of Windsor and Essex County to help increase vaccination rates, individuals must provide proof of complete COVID-19 vaccination and residency to enter.
“Mayor Dilkens and I felt it was important to try to increase our numbers,” McNamara said. “The only way to beat COVID is getting vaccinated … is the best way to protect us all. “
In all, more than 100 people won $ 200,000 in prizes, from City of Windsor parking and recreation passes to a property tax holiday and golf and spa packages, not to mention the two grand Pacifica prizes presented when the contest came to an end on Monday.
Reference-windsorstar.com