Shop N Win Sweepstakes Winner Gifted Additional Winnings After Facebook Contest
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By: Breeanna Jent
Staff Writer
Photo Courtesy of:
Margie Miller
Photo Description:
Winner Annette Robles (second row, second from left) and her family show off the additional winnings. Pictured, front row: (from left) mother Esther, nephew Bear, grandson Alex, daughter Liana, daughter Amanda, son-in-law Darshan. Second row: (from left) father Bob,winner Annette, sister-in-law Misty, sister Sofia, daughter-in-law Veronica, son Robert holding granddaughter Audrianna. Back row: (from left) brother Gilbert, niece Amanda, nephew Jakob, niece Savannah, niece Abby.
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Cooley Ranch resident Annette Robles was celebrating her birthday with her family Friday evening when things took a surprising turn.
The 52-year-old grandmother and winner of the November 2013 Shop N' Win monthly coupon book sweepstakes got a second visit from City News Group publisher Margie Miller, who this time came to deliver Robles an additional $659.
"I told Margie, God has put [her] in my life for a reason," Robles said.
In December 2013, Miller contacted Robles to let her know she had won the November 2013 Shop N' Win monthly coupon sweepstakes after Robles's winning Grand Terrace Market Night coupon was drawn. The grand prize totaled $1,000.
For Robles, those winnings couldn't come at a better time. Robles, who has worked as a server for several years at Denny's Restaurant in Rubidoux, was forced to take time off from work after suffering the effects of tendinitis just before Christmas, and she was then worried about coming up with funds to cover the cost of bills and other expenses.
Miller, touched by Robles's story, wanted to do more to help. City News Group launched a Facebook "liking" contest — for every "like" on Facebook City News Group received up to Jan. 23, 2014, they would donate $1 additional to Robles, up to $1,000. By the end of the contest, $659 was raised.
"When I woke up Friday I thanked God for a blessed day and I prayed, 'I won't worry about my financial situation anymore. I will leave it all in Your hands. I know it's going to work out,'" Robles said. "After that I made my morning coffee and the first call I got was Margie telling me she had additional winnings for me. How funny that it happened twice. Every time I tell God I will stop worrying about finances, he takes care of me. I told Margie, 'I think God keeps putting me in her hands.'"
Robles gathered later that evening with family members at her parents' home in Grand Terrace for her birthday celebration. When Miller arrived, Robles and her parents, siblings, nieces, nephews, children Robert, Amanda and Liana and her grandchildren were there to celebrate the additional winnings.
"It was so nice when she came. We threw the money up in the air," Robles recalled, laughing. "My family and kids loved it. There wasn't a bigger blessing than that."