Liberal’s Opal Smith sits in her new Mustang Saturday evening after her name was drawn from a box of thousands of entries. Opal’s silver Mustang was the central theme of this year’s Silver Bells Christmas Parade which was put on by the Daily Leader with numerous sponsors across town. Daily Leader photo/
By JESSICA CRAWFORD
• Daily Leader
When Opal Smith signed up for a chance to win the Silver Bells Siver Mustang during a visit to ZK Guns, she had no idea she would be the one to drive the car home after the Christmas Parade Saturday evening.
After Smith’s name was called, she had one minute to claim her prize. Family and friends helped her make her way through the crowd then to the stage. Shock and gratitude pretty much summed up Smith’s emotions after winning the Mustang Saturday evening.
“I really do appreciate it, thank you very much,” she said.
High Plains Daily Leader Publisher Earl Watt asked Smith what she would be doing with the vehicle. Past winners of cars at the Christmas Parade have given a variation of answers when asked what they intend to do with their new car. The answers have varied from selling it to giving it away as a gift. But Smith’s response was short and sweet.
“Driving it,” she said, was her plan.
The shock of winning the Mustang stayed with Smith for the rest of the evening.
“I can hardly believe it, I never thought I would win it,” she said with excitement. “I couldn’t believe it. I just knew somebody else would get it. I just couldn’t believe it. I still can’t believe it.”
Jensen Mettlen spins during her dance routine Saturday prior to the Christmas Parade.
Karley Garrison sings along with Steve Leete, who got the kids involved with Christmas carols before the parade.
Dr. Jack Jacob cruises down the parade route in summer wear, despite temperatures hovering around 35 degrees.
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