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Third time's a charm -- again, and again

Consider it the trifecta of funding-raising drawings. Or evidence that lightning not only can strike the same place twice, but it can hit three times.

The seventh annual Mountain Music Festival recently sponsored its customary 50/50 drawing, in which individuals donate money for chances to evenly share the total prize. The total pot for this year’s (Aug. 15) pot was $516 to be evenly divided among sponsor and ticket purchaser.

The same guy had won it in 2006 ($300 was his take) and 2007 ($250), and the first four numbers fell his way again in 2008.

As the fifth and final number was announced, the winner got up and strolled to the front to receive his $258 prize. The winner couldn’t have gotten lost on his way to claim the prize – he walked the same path the previous two years – District 3’s Robin Freeman!

Freeman is the Maintenance Foreman for the New Meadows shop. He is a 16-year ITD employee.

Freeman has a history of good fortune: He was gored by a boar at 17, nearly lost his leg, but came through it. He was struck by lightning at 20, and again, he came through it. Last year, he placed second in the Tandem Axle division (along with District 4’s Mike Praegitzer) at the National Snow & Ice Roadeo at Estes Park, Colo., and while there, his wife, Vickie, won a $100 door prize.

Freeman has recorded two thirds, a second and three first-place finishes in the state truck roadeo competition since the event started in 1993. He won first place in 2003, 2006 and 2007. If anyone should be playing the Lottery, it’s Robin Freeman.