No one knows that better than Brenda Craig, Grand Prize Winner of the Kia car.
The old 2003 Grand Am was still faithful but was getting up in years and Brenda had been considering getting a new car. For months, she browsed Kia’s website to research new vehicles and assessed their reliability in the Consumer Guide. She went as far as meeting with the loan officer at her bank to get pre-qualified for a loan. “I started looking online a year ago”, said Brenda. “I knew I wanted a Kia, but I hadn’t test drove one yet.”
Brenda couldn’t attend A Taste of BC’s Finest on May 4th, but she took a chance and purchased raffle tickets. She learned that her name was drawn as the grand prize winner only when she returned to the office on the following Monday. Her colleague, Valentina, who attended the event, popped by her office and said “Congratulations!”
Brenda asked hesitantly, “What for?”
“I’m pretty sure you won a car.”
Brenda was excited but she was afraid to set herself up in case there was another Brenda Craig who might be the real winner. When she got home, her doubts were quickly dispersed by a telephone conversation she had with Zena Peden, the event organizer. “Zena had left a message and I called her back. She confirmed that I won the car and instructed me to contact Darren at Applewood Kia, the grand prize sponsor. I was still in shock but very grateful.”
When she arrived at Applewood Kia in Surrey, Brenda was greeted by Darren Graham, Dealer Principal. She said, “The people at Kia were wonderful to me. I went early to have a look around because I was exploring the possibility of trading up the Kia Rio that I had won. Darren noticed me right away. He approached me and said, ‘You must be Brenda.’ Then, he showed me around the dealership and the service department. He took lots of pictures and then introduced me to Rich Orzol, the Sales and Leasing Manager.”
Brenda was at the dealership for 4 hours where she spent time with Rich, learning about Kia vehicles and taking one on a test drive. She finally settled for a Kia Forte Koup, a sporty 2-door car, which she selected in Racy Red. “Now, I don’t have to worry about making a decision as to whether or not I should get a new vehicle and going through the trouble of financing one.”
“I love to ride my Kia. Everything is new and smells new. It even has blue tooth which I didn’t have in my old Grand Am,” said Brenda.
The granting of Brenda’s wishes did not stop there.
Her nephew was having a few difficulties and she was trying to figure out how she could help him. He had a single cab truck and he needed a car with a back seat where his son, 10, and his daughter, 6, could securely ride. Brenda could have saved some money on the upgrade by trading in her old car or selling it herself. Instead, she decided to get it all fixed up and donate it to her nephew. “He was thrilled and incredibly happy. It felt so good to be able to help him,” said Brenda.
Congratulations, Brenda, not only for winning the car but for seizing the opportunity to make a difference to your nephew’s family. Your wonderful story is a testament that good things happen to good people.
Thank you, Applewood Kia Surrey, for making a couple of dreams come through.
By Louise Tremblay, The Semiahmoo Foundation
Semiahmoo House Society, a non-profit organization located in Surrey/White Rock, exists to provide quality services and supports to people with disabilities and their families in the community.
The Semiahmoo Foundation, located in Surrey/White Rock, exists to fund, support and enhance the programs and services delivered by Semiahmoo House Society.