Smartie, the adorable blue-and-silver 2009 Smart Car Cabriolet, now has a new home in Door County.
Winner Pat Spielman holds the keys, joined by Krista Church (front), who drew the winning ticket, and grandchildren Sophie and Will Friedenfels
The Northern Door Children’s Center raffle ended on Sunday, October 25, as Krista Church (a 4K kindergartner at NDCC) drew the winning ticket: Pat Spielman of Fish Creek was the lucky winner of the $18,885 Smart ForTwo car plus $5,000 cash!
Pat and late husband Pat have been longtime supporters of Northern Door Children’s Center. Their two grandchildren, Sophie (now 10 and an alumna of NDCC) and Will (in the 4K kindergarten program) are testimony to the wonderful education and care given by the Center to children from 6 weeks old to 11 years. Their mother, Sandy Friedenfels, is an NDCC board member, so she was thrilled to hear that her mother had won.
“My dad started the tradition with the first raffle car six years ago. He bought $100 worth of ticket,” says Sandy. “After he passed away, my mother continued his tradition of buying five tickets a year.”
Pat, owner of Spielman’s Kids Works and Wood Works in Fish Creek, bought the tickets but didn’t feel she would be the lucky ticket holder this year. The Friedenfel family was on hand for the drawing on October 25, but Pat stayed home, telling the family, “Call me when you draw my name.” She was used to practical jokes from her family, so when granddaughter Sophie called with the news, Pat’s reaction was, “You’re pulling my leg.” Finally, NDCC director Cindy Trinkner-Peot convinced Pat of her grand prize.
Cindy and staff are pleased to see a faithful supporter of the Center win the car adding, “It makes it extra special for us.”
Son-in-law Bernie picked up Pat at home and brought to her meet her new Smartie.
“I’ve never driven this type of car before,” she smiles, as she is handed the title and keys by Trinkner-Peot.
But when she got behind the wheel, put it in gear, and drove out of the parking lot toward Fish Creek, she and Smartie looked like they belonged together!
The 2009 Smart, built by Mercedes-Benz Daimler, was the sixth in a series of summer-long raffle cars from Northern Door Children’s Center, and the second year that the $5,000 prize has been an added bonus. Tickets were sold at all major events around Door County, at the Center, and participating businesses, and 1,752 tickets were sold at $20 each. The proceeds help fund the important mission of the non-profit Center.
Is it Smart to buy a ticket for the Northern Door Children’s raffle? If you see Pat Spielman zooming around in her new car, you’ll know that it’s even smarter to buy five! What’s coming for 2010? Stay tuned!
