Menu
Valentines Day contest winner announced
Hoping to fuel romance among couples across local communities, the Mountain Home News named the winner of its annual Valentine's Day contest Monday morning.
Eric and Toni Abrego walked away with a prize billed as a "romantic evening for two" featuring a total prize package topping more than $200.
Toni highlighted how she met Eric -- the love of her life -- as part of the newspaper's online trivia and essay contest.
"I check out the news (on the Web site) on a daily basis," she said. "I saw the ad for the contest and said, 'What the heck.' "
"It's fun to do it even though we're thinking we'd never win," Eric added.
Toni was one of 13 contestants that successfully answered 20 questions regarding the annual holiday and the special meaning behind traditional and modern romance.
A selection team with the Mountain Home News chose her essay out of the other entrants based on its originality and ability to tug on the heartstrings of the judges. In her entry to the newspaper, Abrego briefly discussed how she met Eric while the two worked at the local Taco John's.
"We didn't become a couple until three years later, but that's where our friendship began," she said. "We were married four years after we first met, and I love him more every day."
After 11 years of marriage, the couple continues to raise their five children, "but he is my first and only love and my absolute best friend," she added. "I look forward to growing old together and enjoying the wonderful life we've built."
Having to deal with their five children each day doesn't give Toni a lot of time to pick up and read the Mountain Home News.
"With five children, it's easier to scan the headlines online" to see what's happening in the Mountain Home community, she said.
Despite the advantages of searching for local news on the Internet, Eric still feels a bit nostalgic about picking up and reading the newspaper.
"It never gets old," he said.
Prizes presented during a ceremony Monday afternoon included an overnight stay for two at the Dusty Rose Inn, dinner for two at A.J.'s Restaurant and Lounge, a bottle of Zen Red wine from Carmela Vineyards, a massage therapy package and hairstyling from Patsy's Hair Design, a gift certificate for one cheesecake from A Little Slice of Heaven, fruit basket from Paul's Market, romantic candles from Partylite Consultant Rachael Kirk, 2 hats from TLC, gift certificate from Romantic Treasures and jewelry specially made by Vicki Eckenrod.