AHL Rochester Americans

Amerks Season Ticketholder Of 40 Years Wins 2009 Honda Fit

Published on March 13, 2009 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Rochester Americans News Release


(Rochester, March 12)... The Rochester Americans and Knighthawks concluded their season-long car giveaway promotion Thursday night as Dave Sturm, with luck on his side, selected the only key out of 20 that would allow him to drive the brand new 2009 Honda Fit out of the showroom in Dick Ide Honda/Pontiac in Penfield to the driveway of his home.

"I still can't believe it," said Sturm about winning the grand prize. "It's the first big thing I've ever won. I've lost all my 401K and I was depressed, but now I got it all back," said Sturm from the front seat of his new car.

Sturm, an Amerks season ticketholder for more than 40 years and a member of the team's booster club, has been attending games since the 1960s and has only missed a few games since.

Sturm was selected in a pool of 13 additional season ticket holders as part of the "Second Chance" raffle after seven individuals were preselected the week before during an Amerks or Knighthawks game. Sturm's name was chosen second from the group of 13 from all season ticketholders who registered that night for the contest.

From there, all 20 names were circulated and selected at random to determine the order for the chance to win the car. As each participant's name was called, he or she selected one key from the group of 20, and somewhere within those 20 identical keys was the one that would start the car. Sturm was chosen 13th in the order for the key selection.

"When I first heard I was 13th, I immediately thought I had no chance," said Sturm. "To go through more than 50 percent of the people and still have a chance for me...my chances didn't look good. Each time one person couldn't start it, my heart was going a little faster and a little faster."

"I just grabbed the first key I saw and it was all a gut feeling," said Sturm about his key selection. "A lot of times people go for the back, or the middle or the side, but I just went for the first key I saw. It was my gut feeling and then when I heard the ignition, I told myself I chose the right one."

Luck was most definitely on his side that night, especially for someone who had to convince himself to actually attend the event.

"A couple days ago I opened up the letter, and I said, 'You know what, I might go to this.' I had an Amerks Booster Club meeting tonight I was thinking about going to, but then I was thinking about either calling in sick or saying I had to work some overtime to come down here. So I threw on my lucky St. Patrick's Day Amerks jersey and I hoped for the best."

"I love the game of hockey and I love the Amerks and I'm just thrilled right now. I'm taking this down to Binghamton for the upcoming Booster club trip!"

The Amerks couldn't think of a better reward for a better fan.

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American Hockey League Stories from March 13, 2009


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