The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 85, No. 2, Ed. 1, Wednesday, August 28, 1996 Page: 3 of 8
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Texas Digital Newspaper Program and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Abilene Christian University Library.
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Olympic dreams reality for ACU couple
By Jessica Gray
Viewpoints Page Editor
Upon entering the home of
Kcnt-and Dcnlsc Bamctt two
things stand otU. First an
unusual amount of plastic Coca-Cola
glasses arc drying in the sink and
second a large number of pictures
arc lying about
Thgse coiuc as a direct result of the
trip Kent won from Coca-Cola and
H-E-B tq the Olympics in Atlanta.
The trip was an all-cxpcnsc paid
vacation for two Aug. 2-5.
"I was listening to the radio and
they were talking about this fantastic
6ncc-in-a-Jifctimc (rip to the Olym-
pics and 19 Atlanta" said Kent
advertising director for the Optimist.
"1 thought the only way I was going
to get to make it to the Olympics was
register for and win the trip. So 1
didn't even buy anything; I just went
strictly to put my name in the box
so 1 could win the trip."
"I (JluVt go. back in.anymore I just
signed up one tiie.H
The n&t time Kent thought about
the trip it was on the day of the
drawing .
"The drawing took place at H-E-B
on June 15 and I thought that it
would just be really cool if 1 won that
trip" Kent said. "I love Atlanta. I
love the history; 1 love the trees; 1
love the people arid the things to do
there."
The day the drawing was an-
nounced Optimist managing
news editor Tiffany Kondrup
was present at H-E-B but Kent
Barnett was not. The Bamctt family
was not listening to the radio stations
that were broadcasting the drawing
and didn't know about the winning
entry until Kondrup called Kent at
home Saturday afternoon.
"1 got a phone call from Tiffany
and she said 'You won my trip''
"1 said 'The trip to Atlanta?'
"She said 'Yes. You won the trip to
Atlanta.'"
Dcnlsc was listening as Kent received
the good news but was unaware that
Kent had entered the contest.
She sald"Hc kept saying 'Going tq
Atlanta' and 1 thought 'Why would
we want to go to Atlanta?' Then it hit
me what wap in Atlanta."
"lt was klnd.of like a game show;
I thought 'Why
would we want
to gbv to Atlanta?'
Then it hit me
what was
in Atlanta.
it)s hard to believe that you actually
won It" Dcnlsc said.
It was almost a month before the
winners knew exactly when and '
where their trip would take place.
Luckily approximately two weeks
before the date of the trip they
received the final details.
Once they knew the plans for the
trip one thing they were apprchen
slvc about was the quality of security
following the July 27 bombing.
"The more 1 thought about It the
more I saw on TV about how they
had upped security which really
made me feel better" Denlse said.
"That first day that we were there
we had to show our driver license ...
they had guards all over... you could-
n't go into the Hilton Hotel at all
unless you had the credentials" Kent
said.
According to the pair security was
careful to take the necessary time to
do their job.
"All cars going In and parking in
the underground area were'searched
thoroughly. It almost looked like they
were tearing the car apart" Kent
said. "Where we were staying was
about four blocks from Centennial
Park. There were security people on
each block."
Coca-Cola whose headquarters
are In Atlanta sponsored the
contest The couple was pro.
vided with all the "extra goodies"
that they needed for the four-day
weekend. All meals were provided as
well as a bag full of necessities like
bottled water seat cushions and rain
coats and tickets to some events.
"Everywhere you went there was a
Coke person with a sign so If there
was any problem you could just go
to them" Denlse said.
The pair saw the soccer game final
between Argentina and Nigeria . -t
played in Athens Ga. They also wit-
nessed the men's platform diving
finals womens basketball men's
team handball finals and the closing
ceremonies.
At all the competitions they attend-
ed the pair had the best available
seating. Some of their seats would
have cost them as much as S300 oth-
erwise At most of these events they
did not have to stand in line.
Their lodging was also top-notch. f
"We stayed where the United States
Olympic Committee was staying"'
Kent said.
The only things that the couple
had to purchase for themselves were
souvenirs.
"All the arrangements were made'H'.J!
for us. I don't think 1 could have -
planned a better trip" Denlse said. v
Coca-Cola was so good to the pair"'
that both have said that they will
never drink another Pepsi.
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The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 85, No. 2, Ed. 1, Wednesday, August 28, 1996, newspaper, August 28, 1996; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth99691/m1/3/?q=%22%22~1: accessed July 15, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Abilene Christian University Library.