LOAH
08-29-2009, 09:02 PM
Well, a couple of months ago, I caught a fish just outside of Vernal. This was a tiny planter rainbow and it was just about to be released when I noticed something funny hanging off its back.
It was a blue tag that read "WINNER".
This perked my interest, so I threw it on a stringer and walked up to the State Park office to check into it.
Turns out, I caught a fish that was tagged for a current contest and I'd get my prize in the mail.
It was a couple of weeks and I received 2 tickets to Lagoon in the mail. Sweet! I just cashed those in one week ago (Lagoon is tons better now than 10 years ago, BTW).
In addition to the tickets, my name was entered into a grand prize drawing that would be held at a later date in Vernal. Winners must be present to claim their prize, if applicable.
That date was Aug. 27th, just last Thursday.
I thought it would be fun to go all the way out there for the off chance that I would get a piece of the pie, so I piled my wife and kids into the car and we went.
When we got there and the folks were ready for the drawing, they had all the contestants come down to the stage (amphitheater) and eyeball the prizes. As the names were called, any prize on the stage was up for grabs.
They called two names with no answer (must be present to win) and then they drew my name from the barrel!
I was so excited I almost threw my son, whom I was holding. I ran right over to the prize that I'd been set on and claimed it.
Grand Prize Winner! I still can't believe it. It was worth the 300 mile round trip. It was worth the several hours of my life that I gave toward assembling this thing. It was worth the flack I got from my wife for not choosing one of the televisions (26" LCD - no thanks).
Having never really won anything before, this was a major shock and I have been buzzing ever since.
This was the prize I chose:
It was a blue tag that read "WINNER".
This perked my interest, so I threw it on a stringer and walked up to the State Park office to check into it.
Turns out, I caught a fish that was tagged for a current contest and I'd get my prize in the mail.
It was a couple of weeks and I received 2 tickets to Lagoon in the mail. Sweet! I just cashed those in one week ago (Lagoon is tons better now than 10 years ago, BTW).
In addition to the tickets, my name was entered into a grand prize drawing that would be held at a later date in Vernal. Winners must be present to claim their prize, if applicable.
That date was Aug. 27th, just last Thursday.
I thought it would be fun to go all the way out there for the off chance that I would get a piece of the pie, so I piled my wife and kids into the car and we went.
When we got there and the folks were ready for the drawing, they had all the contestants come down to the stage (amphitheater) and eyeball the prizes. As the names were called, any prize on the stage was up for grabs.
They called two names with no answer (must be present to win) and then they drew my name from the barrel!
I was so excited I almost threw my son, whom I was holding. I ran right over to the prize that I'd been set on and claimed it.
Grand Prize Winner! I still can't believe it. It was worth the 300 mile round trip. It was worth the several hours of my life that I gave toward assembling this thing. It was worth the flack I got from my wife for not choosing one of the televisions (26" LCD - no thanks).
Having never really won anything before, this was a major shock and I have been buzzing ever since.
This was the prize I chose: