CRESTVIEW — In a final attempt to gather votes for a charitable contest, resident Yvonne Wood collaborated with Chill Frozen Yogurt Shop on Friday to increase her odds.
The military spouse and mother of two children approached the ice cream parlor’s management about promoting her cause. She had hoped to win one of 50 spots for a TOMS Shoes and Eyewear’s Ticket to Give trip. Flyers and business cards explained the contest; a smart barcode provided instant voting.
"Any opportunity we have to help out anyone in the community, we try to help them out,” said shift leader Raquel Martinez, who voted for Wood.
Wood’s 600 votes fell short of making the top 50, she announced Saturday on her Facebook page, following the contest’s late-Friday deadline. Some contestants had more than 2,000 votes.
However, her motivation to help others is firm, she said.
Today, Wood is participating in the footwear company’s One Day Without Shoes event.
"People across the country will not wear shoes, just to represent the idea that some people cannot afford shoes," she said.
In addition, she is overseeing an online charitable raffle for the Wounded Warrior Project, which helps wounded soldiers adjust to living at home.
Wood would have traveled with 49 other contest winners to deliver canvas shoes for children in impoverished countrieslike Argentina, Peru or Hungary.
Contact News Bulletin Staff Writer Matthew Brown at 850-682-6524 or matthewb@crestviewbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbMatthew.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Woman’s contest bid falls short, but faith in helping others doesn’t waver