CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
A Charleston AFB member received one of Air Mobility Command's MatchUP grand prizes after the conclusion of MatchUP Aug. 31.
Senior Master Sgt. Samantha Stevens, 315th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, was the winner of Grand Prize #4 which was a Carnival cruise for two and $1,000 cash. There were three other grand prizes including a 2007 Saab 9-3 Aero and Carnival cruises that went to winners at other AMC bases.
"This is so exciting because I've never won any games of luck before," said Sergeant Stevens. "I'm ecstatic ... I think I did a happy dance and jumped up and down."
Along with the grand prize winner, six other people won Charleston base prizes. The winners were the following individuals:
$500 - Kimberly Kiser, wife of retired Master Sgt. John Kiser
$100 - William Doke, retiree
$100 - Carol Coulter, 437th Operations Support Squadron resources advisor and security manager
$100 - Senior Master Sgt. Keith Geltz, 437th Operations Support Squadron aircrew flight equipment superintendent
$100 - Master Sgt. Bernadette Garces, 437th Airlift Wing Legal Office superintendent
$100 - Maj. Susan Beylotte, 315th Aeromedical-dental Squadron
"I think everyone who plays enjoys it very much," said Laura Abell, 437th Services Squadron marketing director. "Sergeant Stevens was a good example of that because she was thrilled beyond imagination. It's just great making it possible for people like that to play."
MatchUP was an AMC-sponsored event that kicked off for Charleston AFB during a picnic June 1 and 2 at the base picnic grounds and the Fitness and Sports Center. More than 2,000 members attended the two-day picnic.
Members from Charleston played 62,804 MatchUP pieces during the three months of the event.
In addition to grand prizes and base winners, there was also a base race. Charleston AFB came in fourth place against 11 other AMC bases with 90.71 percent; no base race prizes were earned by Team Charleston. The base had the potential to reach a goal of 100 percent if 370 participants would've played two game pieces instead of one. Participants were required to play two pieces to count toward the base race score.
"I think we did well, I wish we could've had more participation," said Ms. Abell. "We worked really hard to reach 100 percent to raise money for the base and it was disappointing not to make it. We can always do better next year and that's something we can strive for."
There were also four $25 cash prize winners on base each week who also received a MatchUP T-shirt and mug.
Sponsors for AMC's MatchUP were USAA, SAAB, Tyson, Coca Cola and Carnival. Local sponsors for the base picnic included Santee Cooper, GEICO Direct, United Rentals, Boeing, Heritage Trust, Wingate Inn, Eastwood Homes, Coburg and Bank of America. In addition to being a sponsor for MatchUP, the local SAAB dealership, SAAB of Charleston, loaned the base three SAABs to display through two months of the program -- they were moved around the base to publicize the program.
This is the third year for Charleston AFB to participate in AMC's MatchUP event.