Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, July 3, 1995 TAG: 9507030107
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MAURICE A. WILLIAMS III STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Yet Sadie Loving, the mother of seven and grandmother of 12, brought her family together Sunday and didn't have to lift a finger or twist any arms. Loving was the winner of 57 free dinners at the Country Cookin' restaurant on Melrose Avenue. She won a contest sponsored by WJLM 93.5 FM, Heinz 57 and the restaurant. She and 50 others who entered their names in raffles at the restaurants won free dinners and were entered in a grand prize drawing for 57 dinners. When she learned she had won the grand prize, Loving said she didn't know what to do.
"I was wondering, 'How in the world are we going to have 57 dinners?' So I said, 'Let's have a family reunion.'''
Loving invited her family and friends, all of whom live in the area. The party occupied more than half of the restaurant and parking lot, with a line outside the door.
"I've been here five years, and it's the largest one I've ever had at one time," said Steve Gunter, one of the restaurant's managers. He said he and his staff didn't have a problem handling the crowd. "Everybody was taken care of."
Gunter said there were two extra people in the party and, without the free dinners, the check would have come to $400.
WJLM morning disc jockey Slam Duncan called Loving during his broadcast to tell her she had won the contest. The tape was repeated during broadcasts; some of the listeners were Loving's children.
"It really surprised me," said her son, Brian.
Sadie Loving said winning the contest was something she'll never forget. "This is about the first thing I've ever won."
by CNB