A Spokane, Wash., woman was the grand prize winner in a ConocoPhillips promotion that provides her with free gas for life.
Crystal Waggy, whose husband is a disabled Marine who survived three helicopter crashes, will receive free gas for the rest of her life every time she fills up her 1997 Ford F150, the company said.
Waggy won the lifetime grand prize from a recent Conoco, 76 and Phillips 66 promotion, which also awarded free gas for a year to 23 other customers in nine states.
“To tell you the truth, I didn’t really believe it when I saw it," Waggy said. "I thought, ‘this isn’t for real.’ But it was!"
Waggy regularly filled up her truck at a neighborhood Conoco, never missing a chance to pick up a game card for the Win Gas for Life promotion.
It took Waggy’s husband, Mark – a disabled former Marine who survived three chopper crashes – to convince her what she was seeing was a set of winning numbers.
The mother of three daughters, Waggy has spent much of her life helping others, first as a social worker, then for the past 16 years as a Member Advocate for Premera Blue Cross.
"I help people that fall between the cracks," Waggy told Conoco. "To get these people the help they need, we reach out to anybody, sometimes to the community, sometimes the company."
Her co-workers thought no one ever won contests like the Conoco promotion, says Waggy. "But now that I’ve won," she laughs, "they decided at a staff meeting to send me on all their errands."
The WIN Gas for Life promotion gave away thousands of gallons of free fuel. All told, some 3,800 prizes were awarded.
"We wanted drivers to experience the benefits of using Conoco, 76 and Phillips 66 gasoline, that helps maximize mileage and reduce emissions," said Kathleen Post, promotions director for ConocoPhillips, which owns the three brands. "One way to help drivers get those benefits is to give away free gas and a chance at never having to buy gas again."
With all that free gas, the thought of a road trip has crossed Waggy’s mind. "It would be fun to go to a family reunion back in Virginia," she said, adding that winning the contest has been fun. “It’s been a surprise, and I am very grateful."
