KAYSVILLE—Last Friday started out like a normal day for one Kaysville resident, but it quickly turned into something very special. That afternoon, the Publishers Clearing House Prize Patrol caught up with Mrs. T. Bates and her husband to present them with a check for $25,000.

Mrs. Bates said she has been a loyal “entrant” into the PCH sweepstakes for 20 years, and always dreamed that someday she’d be greeted by the Prize Patrol with flowers, balloons and a nice check. Now, it’s happened.

“My husband has teased me for years about always entering this,” she said, “but when Friday happened, I said to him, ‘I told you!’”

She was presented with her check, a dozen red roses and a bouquet of balloons by Howie Guja, a member of the PCH Prize Patrol elite, who flew into Salt Lake City the night before from New York City. He also presented a check for $10,000 to a Spanish Fork resident the same day.

“I’ve been trying to dream big for many years,” Mrs. Bates said. “I couldn’t figure out why anyone would be showing up to give me a special delivery, but I was hoping it was Publishers Clearing House.”

She said she has been a stay at home mom, and always wanted to do something to contribute financially to her family. 

“This was a windfall I did not expect,” she said. “I’m very grateful. For anyone out there who wonders if the PCH contest is real or not, believe me, it is real. I have the check here in my hand to prove it.”

Guja said he has made several trips to Utah to present checks. He shares that assignment with one other PP elite from the headquarters in New York. They hand out at least 50 checks a year.

“Utah is always a lovely place to visit,” he said. “In fact, I actually have a longtime friend who lives in Kaysville, though we didn’t get to visit this time. Everyone here is very friendly and gracious.” He also loved finding a neighborhood grocer in Bowman’s Market in Kaysville, where he purchased the flowers and the balloons to give to Mrs. Bates. λ