Kristi Kocherkewych was pretty excited when she saw her name tagged in a Facebook post in January.

The tag came with a pleasant surprise – $200 – which she planned to use to bring cheer to other people as the winner of the third annual Win Everything You Didn’t Get for Christmas Contest.

“I was very excited when I saw my name,” she said.

The Langley Advance Times teamed up with Langley’s Real Canadian Superstore to offer people a chance to win $200 in gift cards to pick up the things that Santa didn’t leave under the Christmas tree.

“Reader reaction was phenomenal,” said publisher Lisa Farquharson.

The contest with a random draw asked people to say what they would use the money for and there were lots of interesting submissions, thousands in fact. The responses ranged from buying groceries and small appliances to diapers and gifts for others.

“I would love to get some things for the students I work with at my school (hot chocolate, popcorn and other things for when we are chatting) and anything leftover I would love to get my family an air fryer to convince my hubby that they are useful,” Kocherkewych wrote in her entry.

A Walnut Grove resident, Kocherkewych is a youth care worker in the Abbotsford School District and wanted to spread around her windfall.

“I do afterschool programs and lunch programs,” Kocherkewych explained. “I’d like to get some snacks and some little treats for the kids.”

She’s grateful for the win during what’s been a unique year.

“I was very surprise,” she told the local newspaper. “I don’t think anybody expects to win things so when you see your name come and and friends message you, it’s surprising. I’m grateful. We shop here and it’s always nice to win something.”

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Email: heather.colpitts@langleyadvancetimes.com
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