But EAA Had To First Convince John Sery He Really Won  

John Sery and his wife were still unpacking from vacation at their Brooklyn Center, MN, home when the phone rang. "This is the first time in four years the winner has answered the phone," said the voice on the other end. Tim Casserly, volunteer chairman of the EAA sweepstakes program, proceeded to inform Sery he had won the EAA 2005 Sweepstakes Piper Cherokee 140. Sery was sure someone was playing a prank on him. After confirming the news several times, he went to share the news with his wife.

"All she said was 'uh oh,'" Sery said.

Just like every other year, Sery sent in 20 coupons received in a Sport Aviation issue along with his $20 donation, happy to be supporting the cause more than hoping to win an airplane. He's been a pilot since 1982, but a job change in the early '90s kept him closer to home and flying less. Now, some 15 years later, the Sweepstakes Cherokee is changing all that.

John Sery

In the time since Sery received his congratulatory phone call he has been working on completing his biennial flight review and catching up on all of the regulation changes. He'll visit Oshkosh soon to inspect his prize and get used to the idea of being the owner of a better-than-new 1969 Piper Cherokee.

"I'm excited to see it because it looks like it's kind of a spiffy little airplane," Sery said. "This is going to be a blast."

FMI: www.eaa.org