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by Mark Mathis
You could feel the excitement building. This was the moment everyone was waiting for, the high point of an already amazing evening. At 9:59pm on "9/9/99," someone would win a brand new Mercedes-Benz.
The odds could hardly have been better. Eight hundred and twenty-five tickets were sold at $100 each for the Foundation's first-ever Mercedes Raffle. The winner would have their choice of a flashy convertible, a rugged sport utility or a luxury sedan, supplied with help from Bergstrom Automotive and Enterprise Motorcars.
Don Vercauteren, representing the accounting firm Wipfli, Ullrich and Bertelsen LLP was on hand to verify each entry. The envelopes were sealed, placed in a bin, and brought to the stage under armed guard.
John Bergstrom of Bergstrom Automotive had the honor of drawing the winning ticket, number 0029, held by Whitey and Shanna Ellsworth of Green Bay. Reached by phone moments later, Whitey said he was "stunned," adding that he has never won anything like this before.
Whitey and Shanna picked up their new car a few days later. They said the choice was easy--they took the SLK convertible in classic black.
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