Wisconsin EAA member claims Sweepstakes grand prize

For Benjamin Tresidder (EAA 1709540) of Port Washington, Wisconsin, entering the EAA Aviation Foundation Sweepstakes was a little bit like buying a lottery ticket.

“You thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if I won?’” he said. “I honestly thought I didn’t win it. I was getting a little curious and was ready to go on the internet and see who won.”

That changed last week, when Benjamin got the call that he was this year’s winner and a new Ford F-150 Raptor R truck was waiting for him at EAA headquarters in Oshkosh. Benjamin’s name was drawn out of more than 5,400 entries into the sweepstakes, which benefits the EAA Aviation Foundation’s philanthropic efforts on behalf of EAA programs.

“I was in disbelief,” Benjamin said of the phone call from the Foundation’s Chris Musha that revealed that he had the winning entry.

When asked whether it was the grand prize truck or the benefit cause that sparked his interest, Benjamin said, “This is something I support and believe in. I’m a really big believer in the aviation industry as well as further on into space. And EAA is a community effort. When I lived here in Oshkosh for a couple of years, I loved coming here, checking out the museum and coming to (AirVenture).”

There are a couple of checklist items already set for the immediate future. The first drive in the truck will be with Benjamin’s 4-year-old son, who made his first visit to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh this past summer and loved going through the big aircraft on Boeing Plaza and sitting in the seats.

Then there will be some camping trips, for which the F-150 Raptor is well equipped to handle either hauling equipment or pulling a camper.

“I’ve been chatting up all my friends about going camping and my son has not gone camping yet,” Benjamin said. “That’s the big fall activity.”

Special thanks to everyone who entered the sweepstakes to benefit the Foundation’s mission and to Kocourek Ford of Wausau, Wisconsin, for its support in supplying the grand prize truck.