Rent-to-own News - Bethlehem resident wins Toyota Hybrid in Aaron's national sweepstakes

Chris Snyder, 21 (center), of Bethlehem, PA, is the grand prize winner of the Aaron's 55th Anniversary Super Sweepstakes. Snyder, pictured with his fiance Courtney Laub and Aaron's Lucky Dog.

Aaron's today presented Christopher Snyder, 21, with a brand new Toyota Camry Hybrid today as part of the company's 55th Anniversary Super Sweepstakes. Snyder, of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, received the car, a $500 cash prize  and five nights at La Quinta Inns & Suites as part of the sweepstakes package.

The sweepstakes commemorates the year-long 55th anniversary celebration for Aaron's, founded in Atlanta by Charlie Loudermilk in 1955. Each month from April through November, five winners from across the country were selected and brought home prizes such as laptops, flat screen TVs, or washers and dryers.

"I've never won anything in my life, so I definitely didn't see this coming," Snyder said. "It's been a tough couple of years, but I think this is a sign that my luck is changing for the better. I can't thank Aaron's enough for these great prizes, plus the timing is perfect. My fiance and I are getting married soon so this is really like a huge wedding gift."

Snyder was then selected as the grand prize winner from hundreds of thousands of entrants. The sweepstakes also awarded four other grand prize packages - an Aaron's shopping spree ranging in value from $5,000 to $15,000, five nights at La Quinta Inns & Suites and $500 cash - to selected recipients across the country.

"Aaron's is always looking for new and creative ways to give back to its customers, especially in difficult economic times," said Mark Rudnick, Vice President of Marketing at Aaron's, Inc. "With consumers facing consistently high gas prices, it made sense to award a hybrid car as the grand prize, which not only gets great gas mileage but is better for our environment. Aaron's chose to feature a Toyota hybrid because of Aaron's alliance with Toyota in NASCAR. We're truly excited for Chris, and we couldn't be happier the car is going to such a deserving young man."

"We are so excited that one of our local customers has won a sweepstakes of this magnitude," said Bethlehem Aaron's store franchise owner Jeff Weinreb. "We hope Chris' good fortune is a foreshadowing of positive times ahead for all of us. We wish Chris and his family the best of luck and congratulate him not only on this big win, but his upcoming marriage."

The 2011 Camry Hybrid, valued at $35,000, is Magnetic Grey with Ash leather trimmed seats and wood grain interior trim. It comes equipped with push-button start, dual zone climate control, heated seats and outside mirrors, a sunroof, DVD navigation system with back-up camera, a four-disk CD changer, and capabilities for MP3 and Bluetooth technology.

"Caring businesses are one of the foundations of a strong community," said Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan. "Aaron's is a special business that is willing to reach out to their neighbors in times of need. Congratulations to Chris, and I look forward to his bright future in Bethlehem."