|
 "Baby,
are you sitting down?" A confused and concerned Frank Monte listened
to his wife's voice on the phone as he scanned the room for a chair. Her
call had come while he was at work, Friday night Nov. 3.
"You are the proud winner of a new Harley-Davidson," she exclaimed.
Monte scanned his memory trying to process the exciting news.
"Don't play games with me," Monte said. "Is this a joke?"
This was no joke. Frank Monte, a road squad officer with the Lumberton
Correctional Institution had purchased a Law Enforcement Torch Run/Harley
Davidson raffle ticket in the summer and his name was pulled as the bike's
winner at the Special
Olympics North Carolina Fall Games Opening Ceremonies.
The Torch Run raffle began in the spring and the bike toured the state
at local festivals and bike shows to generate funds and awareness for
Special Olympics North Carolina. The Torch Run efforts were quite successful
as nearly $50,000 was generated for SONC by raffle.
"I can't get the smile off my face," he said. "I still
can't believe this is real. I've never won anything in my whole life!"
Winning the 2006 Heritage Softail Peace Officers Edition Harley is the
ultimate thrill for Monte and it couldn't have come at a more appropriate
time. Two weeks before his name was drawn, he had received "permission"
from his wife to purchase a motorcycle from a co-worker who was advertising
his bike for sale. Monte thought he'd struck a deal when his co-worker
changed his mind and decided to keep the bike. To his utter surprise Monte's
disappointment was short-lived.
"This is just amazing to me," said Monte. "I always help
my unit with Torch Run events like car washes and raffles. I was happy
to help but never thought twice about the chance to really win. It was
just perfect timing!"
Frank Monte will receive his new motorcycle before Thanksgiving. His
boss at the Correctional Institution has already given Monte the day off
the day the bike arrives.
Congratulations Frank Monte! Enjoy the Harley and thanks for supporting
the Law Enforcement Torch Run and Special Olympics North Carolina!
Nominate a person to be featured in "Spotlight On" -Contact
Leah Sundheim at 1-800-843-6276,
ext. 110.
|
