By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
A team-building exercise really paid off for Victoria’s Kara Burkholder. Her company made a trip to Ellinwood that included a stop at Kansas Earth & Sky Candle Company. Burkholder became instant finalist No. 32 in Eagle Media’s $20K Christmas Cash Giveaway, presented by Mayo Money Management, Cornerstone Automotive and Tire, and Moeder Plumbing Heating & Air, your Bryant Dealer, whatever it takes. Saturday morning at the Crest Theater in downtown Great Bend, Burkholder won the grand prize.
“I was really excited even to be a finalist,” Burkholder said. “I had even reached out to some of my coworkers to see if they had signed up. Everyone said they signed up but didn’t get a call. I was one in 52, but I’m still going to head there because I felt like I have a good chance. Something was just telling me to go. As we got down to the final 10 on stage, then five, then two, I was just really excited, thrilled, and anxious.”
The $20K Christmas Cash Giveaway kicked off in October with 52 finalists picked over the course of two months. That number dwindled to 50 competitors for Saturday’s big giveaway as two contestants failed to check in. Burkholder has some personal plans for her winnings, including new tires for her camper, but she’s also planning to share.
“I think I’m going to get everybody on my team a candle because we all really liked them," she said, "so I figure it will be worth it to share some of the fun with them."
Bigger than that, Burkholder plans to give back to the Great Bend community. Immediately after winning, she spoke with Dakota Tucker, general manager of Eagle Media in Great Bend, about sharing $1,000 of her prize. Mayo Money Management will help with that endeavor.
“Maybe that will help somebody in the community who really needs it for their Christmas holiday,” she said. “We’re really blessed and fortunate that it’s not a make-or-break us, but I understand that there are people out there where it is a make-or-break season.”
There were other winners on the day. The final 10 competitors all made their way to the stage where they were presented with $100 via the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce. Ry Roth, who was instant finalist No. 13 after signing up at My Favorite Furnishings, was the other semi-finalist in the contest. Other top 10 finalists were:
10. Elaine Schneider, No. 21, Heavy Duty Diesel & Auto
9. Elvia Martinez Ponce, No. 42, Cornerstone Automotive and Tire
8. Alex Crawford, No. 52, Cornerstone Automotive and Tire
7. Jill Boultinghouse, No. 24, Jimlo Class Center
6. Chris Saenz, No. 10, Hoisington Veterinary Hospital
5. Maurice Schaller, No. 39, Sutherlands
4. Laura Trout, No. 22, Great Bend Appliance Furniture and Sleep Source
3. Mary Kaiser, No. 37, Hoisington Veterinary Hospital
2. Ry Roth, No. 13, My Favorite Furnishings
1. Kara Burkholder, No. 32, Kansas Earth & Sky Candle Company
Burkholder and family will have the opportunity to spend the $20K next week at the various sponsors in this year’s giveaway. Those include:
- Cornerstone Automotive and Tire
- Mayo Money Management
- GB Tires
- Great Bend Appliance
- Boone's Maytag
- Z's Liquormart
- Nex-Tech
- Sutherlands
- UPS Store/Westside Market
- Nextech Wireless
- Hoisington Veterinary Hospital
- Memorial Art Company
- Dawson Jewelers
- Eldridge Fencing
- Jimlo Glass Center
-My Favorite Furnishings in Larned
-Kansas Earth and Sky Candle Co.