South Toledo woman wins $50,000 prize

Carletta Huff, 75, said that she wasn't even thinking of the money' while in the running for the Treasure Hunt prize.

Carletta Huff, 75, won the $50,000 grand prize in the Channels of the Buckeye CableSystem Treasure Hunt contest last night.

'I think it's wonderful. I wasn't event thinking of the money. I was so thrilled to think I was going to have a big TV, but now I suppose I can buy one now,' said the South Toledo woman.

The 25-week contest in which Blade readers searched for code numbers placed in ads throughout the paper also awarded $1,000 weekly cash prizes, as well as 10 second-prize packages featuring a plasma TV, a laptop and a digital phone valued at $2,500 each.

From the more than 100,000 contest entries, 11 finalists appeared live on WTOL-BCSN Channel 11 T Sports Report as names were drawn to determine the $50,000 winner.

'The people who have won have been really nice people and very appreciative,' said Florence Buchanan, vice president of sales and marketing with Buckeye.

'They all had ideas about what they're going to do with their money. Somebody wanted to pay their bills off; somebody wanted to spend it for their son's college money; some people wanted to spend it on themselves. It was just all over the board,' Ms. Buchanan said.

When asked what she'd do with her winnings, Ms. Huff said, 'I have four children, 17 grandchildren, and 38 great-grandchildren.

'I'm going to give some [to them], some to my church, some to where I live [Arlington By The Lake community living center], and the rest goes to me.'

The Blade and Buckeye CableSystem are both owned by Block Communications, Inc.