LAKE ELSINORE RESIDENT READY TO GO `PROWLING'; Wins 1999 Plymouth Prowler In National Craftsman Quick Wrench Prowler Sweepstakes

Business Wire, Sept 17, 1999

LAKE ELSINORE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 16, 1999--

From now on, when Lake Elsinore resident Rita Kaser gives visitors a tour of her home, they should not expect to see the living room or the kitchen first. Why? Because the first stop on any future tour of her home will be her garage, where visitors can take a peek at the hot new 1999 Plymouth Prowler she won during the national Prowler Sweepstakes, sponsored by America's hottest tool, the Craftsman(R) Quick Wrench(TM).

Entries for the sweepstakes were accepted last spring during a nationwide product launch campaign where consumers could submit entry forms at all Sears Mall stores, Sears Hardware stores and Sears Dealers stores nationwide. In addition to the Prowler grand prize, 100 Craftsman 120 pc. Mechanics Tool Sets were awarded to first prize winners and 225 Craftsman 58 pc. Mechanics Tool Sets were awarded as second prizes.

Until this morning, Kaser, 48, had no idea that she'd won the sweepstakes grand prize, although her husband, Frank, 47, had known since late July. During this time, he worked closely with Craftsman officials to set up a special surprise event to make the presentation of the prize that much more special for his wife of twenty years.

"Keeping this secret for over a month has been one of the hardest things I've ever had to do," he said. "Once I found out that she'd won, I must have gone past the Plymouth dealer in Hemet 50 times imagining what it would be like to finally own that Prowler sitting there, but deep down I knew, this prize wasn't for me, even though my own birthday was yesterday. As the Grand Prize winner, I wanted her to have as much of an enjoyable and memorable experience as possible."

And what a surprise it was.

The new Prowler was placed in the atrium of the Moreno Valley Mall in front of the Sears store and mall customers were given an opportunity to have their picture taken inside the car, courtesy of Sears and Craftsman tools. It was then up to Frank to get his unsuspecting wife to the mall where she too could participate in the photograph session.

"I had the feeling she would know what was going on instantly once she saw that car sitting there," he said. "But I couldn't be sure so we just stuck to the plan."

When it became Rita's turn to take a photo in her dream car, Craftsman officials from Sears, Roebuck and Co. appeared and made the grand prize winner announcement to the crowd that had gathered.

However, much to the surprise of the Kasers, the Craftsman officials also presented the couple with a check of $16,300 to cover California state taxes, registration, etc. that would have to be paid on this brand new automobile. This way, the couple could drive off into the sunset behind the wheel of their new sports car free and clear.

"This has absolutely been a dream come true," said Rita. "We've used Craftsman tools for many years in our home and now that they've made my dreams come true, they've got a customer for life, especially with this new Quick Wrench. Thank you Craftsman tools for providing me with my dream car, but for also freeing us from the financial burden of paying all those taxes!"

As life-long Lake Elsinore residents, the Kasers met while attending Lake Elsinore Union High School and have led a pretty modest lifestyle, with Rita working almost 30 years for GTE and Frank working as a painting contractor.

"Living in Southern California, you get used to seeing people driving around in fancy cars, but Frank and I were never ones to go out and buy a Porsche simply because our neighbors had one," she said. "But now that I've got my own show piece to drive around, I don't have to worry about that anymore."

The Craftsman(R) Quick Wrench(TM) is America's hottest new tool that works twice as fast as standard wrenches. The open-end design lets you "ratchet" around the fastener so there's no need to reposition. The innovative Headlock(TM) design prevents rounding off and slipping since it grips fasteners on the "flats" and not the "points." Every Quick Wrench(TM) is up to 30 percent longer than conventional wrenches for extended reach into tight spaces. As a Craftsman tool, it is constructed of high-carbon tempered steel for maximum durability and long life, but best of all, it is made in America and guaranteed forever by Sears.

More information about Craftsman tools is available on the Sears Web site, www.sears.com/craftsman. Sears, Roebuck and Co., Hoffman Estates, Ill., is a leading U.S. retailer of apparel, home and automotive products and services with annual revenue of more than $41 billion. The company serves families throughout the country through 850 full-line department stores and more than 2,100 specialized retail locations nationwide.