Nicholas Braun and his family, of Vandalia, Ohio, were gifted a Grady-White Freedom 215 boat as the grand prize winner of BoatUS’ 60th Anniversary Sweepstakes. Sponsored by GEICO and launched in April to commemorate BoatUS’ 60th anniversary, the sweepstakes drew over 165,000 entries from around the country.
The Braun family of four are excited to start boating on their new Grady White, which will be kept at the family’s multi-generation lake house on Lake Cumberland in Kentucky. “It was pure disbelief. Even now, it still feels unreal,” says Braun. “When I told my wife, her first reaction was, ‘Are you serious, or are you messing with me?’ It took some time for the news to sink in, but it’s been exciting to know we’ve won a boat.” The Freedom 215 offers the perfect platform for the family, who discovered the sweepstakes while researching a boat to buy for the family.
“For 60 years, BoatUS has been dedicated to helping families enjoy the water safely while protecting the future of recreational boating,” says Heather Lougheed, vice president of the BoatUS Association. “Nicholas and his family embody what boating is all about — creating lasting memories and bringing people together. We couldn’t imagine a better way to celebrate this milestone than helping them continue that legacy aboard their new Grady-White.”
In addition to the grand price, the sweepstakes awarded a collection of boating and travel prizes to multiple winners, including a Star Clippers cruise, a $3,000 West Marine gift card, a five-year BoatUS Towing Membership, and two ACR ResQLink 400 Personal Locator Beacon Survival Kits.
Founded in 1966, BoatUS remains the nation’s largest advocacy, services and safety organization for recreational boaters, serving more than 740,000 members while championing boater rights, promoting boating safety. To learn more, visit boatus.com.
PHOTO: BOATUS FACEBOOK
