By Kathy Cook Hunter
Still ecstatic following her big win on TV’s The Price is Right earlier in October, Cathy Whitney of Silverton watched the first broadcast of the show at a gathering in the Towne House Restaurant on Oct. 21.
Laughing, pointing, hands clasped to her face, Whitney, 58, was reliving the breath-taking experience when she won more than $46,000 worth of items on the show while on a Silverton Senior Center bus tour.
Her prizes were an all-expense-paid, six-day trip to Greece for two, a 2009 Mustang convertible, two motor scooters, a Broyhill dining set and an expensive bathtub and fixtures.
Participating in the seniors’ tour of Grand Canyon, Los Angeles, San Francisco and the Pacific coastline of California and Oregon was a fluke, she said. Recently retired, Whitney happened to be at a Salem travel agency that was handling the center’s travel arrangements. Getting off the phone with center director Ruth Cock, the travel agent said, “Cathy, you should go on that trip,” and that was all it took.
“It was wonderful just being able to travel with the seniors and see the personalities they all have,” she said. “If anyone has the chance to do it I would advise them to do it. I have bonded with all these people and it was very hard to leave them after 12 days together.”
“We’ve become a real family after all these tours,” agreed Cock.
Visiting The Price is Right was part of the itinerary. The group spent a full afternoon waiting for the show to be taped with host Drew Carey. When contestants were announced just before it began, Whitney was one of them. She says it is because the show watches for excited, exuberant people in the audience.
“It was a dream come true,” Whitney said. “I’ve watched it since I was a kid.”
People wanting to see the Oct. 21 broadcast can see it online at www.cbs.com/daytime.
