- David Crabtree Wins 2011 Ford Fiesta at Golden Triangle Mall
Holiday Excitement
Man Wins New Car at Mall
By Rachel Mehlhaff
Staff Writer / Denton Record Chronicle
Rosemary Crabtree was going to buy her husband a hat with earflaps for Christmas like he had requested, but she thinks the lime green 2011 Ford Fiesta he won at the Golden Triangle Mall on Saturday, December 18, 2010, might be a better option.
It’s a good thing, too, because she hasn’t been able to find one of those hats.
“Merry Christmas,” Crabtree said and then kissed her husband, David Crabtree, who was sitting in the car he had just won.
David Crabtree was 34th in a line of 50 people whose names had been drawn for a chance to win the car donated by BILL UTTER FORD.
“It’s still a little bit of a shock actually,” David Crabtree said. “I can’t wipe this smile off my face.”
The Golden Triangle Mall partnered with BILL UTTER FORD and “The Wolf” KPLX-FM (99.5) for the promotion, which opened registration November 22nd for a chance to win the car.
“It’s always fun when you give away a huge prize to a winner around Christmas Time,” said Matt Ludemann, the mall’s general manager.
He said the mall had drawn 44 names from the people who had registered prior to Saturday and contacted them Friday night.
Based on how many of those had shown up, the mall selected the remaining names from the people who registered Saturday so the total number of people with a chance to win would be 50.
Those 50 people were lined up in order of the number their names had been drawn, starting with one.
And one by one, they walked up to draw a key out of a bag and see if it was the one that opened the car.
At person 34 the giveaway was over, and David Crabtree was excited to replace his 1996 Ford Explorer.
“I can hardly wait to drive it,” he said.
His wife couldn’t contain her excitement – she carried around the sign that had been on top of the car displaying the words “Win This 2011 Ford Fiesta” and waved it around saying, “Amen.”
David Crabtree said his wife of 11 years was being “true to form.”
Those who didn’t win the car received $25.00 mall gift cards that are good for purchases at any store in the mall, Ludemann said.
Carl Anderson, general manager at BILL UTTER FORD, said the Fiesta was picked as the giveaway because it is a brand-new car and it has all the new technology.
“Plus it’s a good Christmas color – Lime Squeeze,” Anderson said.
The Crabtree’s followed their car as it was driven out of the mall to be taken in for cleaning before they drove it home.
And Rosemary Crabtree held up her sign and expressed her excitement the whole way.