Air Force Family Wins $10,000 Shopping Spree at Kadena Exchange

Amanda “Mandy” Wagner and one of her sons eye a toy shelf after winning a $10,000 Exchange shopping spree.

A Kadena Air Base family beat the odds to take home a $10,000 shopping spree in honor of the Exchange’s 125^th anniversary.

Amanda “Mandy” Wagner, whose husband Lt. Col. David Wagner serves in the Air Force at the Theater Preventive Medicine Flight on Kadena Air Base, was running errands at the Kadena Air Base Exchange with her two sons and stopped at Subway for lunch. Her older son Erik, 11, noticed the sweepstakes tab on his cup.

Wagner used the opportunity to teach a quick math lesson on probability and explained that the odds of winning were highly unlikely. Still, Erik was optimistic, replying “Mom, someone has to win!”

When they pulled the tab and discovered they had won a $10,000 Exchange shopping spree, Wagner was stunned.

“We were absolutely amazed when we won,” she said. “I still can’t believe it’s real.”

Kadena Exchange managers contacted Wagner to get a wish list for big-ticket items, including furniture and household items that will be essential for the family’s PCS next year. A Dyson vacuum, an LG 50-inch 4K TV and a king bed were all part of the family’s winning haul.

Kadena Exchange Store Manager Flordeliza Payton coordinated with the Camp Foster furniture store to get the bed set transferred to the Kadena Exchange for the family’s convenience.

“We were just glad to be able to assist them with their shopping,” Payton said.

On the day of the shopping spree, Sept. 4, the Wagners filled two carts with smaller items for the family. Each son had a budget of $300, and the boys had their eyes on the toy section. James, 9, devoted nearly all of his winnings to Legos. Erik spread out his prize out more evenly, securing Nerf guns, a watch and a board game.

“This has been such a fun and positive experience for my sons,” Wagner said. “God gives good gifts in so many creative ways, and we can feel his provision for our family even in the form of a prize from Subway. We are just so grateful.”

Subway’s Sip. Rip. Ultimate Trip sweepstakes is part of the Army & Air Force Exchange Service’s 125^th anniversary celebration.  Prizes include family vacations, shopping sprees, gift cards, and more. Wagner is the fifth $10,000 shopping spree winner in Okinawa and the second on Kadena Air Base.