How much can you stuff into a grocery shopping cart in 60 seconds?
That's what one of five contestants will find out when his or her name is drawn during the Statesboro Herald's Second Annual 60-Second Grocery Grab contest slated for 10 a.m. Saturday at Ken's IGA in Brooklet.
Four people will walk away with a $25 gift certificate from Ken's, but one lucky winner drawn from the five finalists - Malynda Raymond, W.R. Deal, Whitney Barnwell, Geraldine McBride and Betty M. Clark - will have 60 seconds to grab as many groceries as possible before time runs out.
Statesboro Herald Operations Manager Jim Healy said more than 1,000 entries were submitted between July 15 and Aug. 21, the deadline for the drawing. People filled out entry forms found in the Herald and dropped them into a box at the newspaper's office. One name was drawn each week and became a finalist to win the Grocery Grab shopping spree.
It's a toss-up as to who is most excited. Almost all the contestants plan to hit the area where the most valuable groceries are found: the meat department.
Deal, from Statesboro, has a plan. He already checked out the store and said the meat section is close to the front door.
"As slow as I am, I figure I can get there in seven or eight seconds," he said. "I've already scoped it out. I want meat if I can get it, because you sure can't afford to buy it."
Janina Jones, of Statesboro, was the winner in last year's Grocery Grab contest. Jones went exclusively for meat and frozen seafood and rang up $557 worth of groceries.
McBride, a Brooklet resident, said she will have a designated person run in her place if she wins the draw.
"I'm trying to find me a runner," she said Wednesday. "I'm old and can't do that. I'm 82. I appreciate the groceries, though. I hope we get as much as we can, because I don't get out shopping much."
She said she won't be picky; her foods of choice are fruits, vegetables and, of course, meats.
But Barnwell said that if she wins, she will go for more than just meat.
"Bacon, maybe frozen foods, vegetables and stuff like that," she said. "I'll try to get as much as I can. I have short legs, so I'm not too fast."
Being from Brooklet, she is familiar with Ken's IGA, and that will be to her advantage, she said.
Statesboro resident Betty M. Clark said she plans to arrive early and "get a good look at the store" before she plans her grabbing technique.
"If I see something I want, I'm going to grab it. But I don't want to take too much time getting it, because I'm going for the meat: chicken, fish, pork chops, ground beef and steaks," she said.
Raymond, however, said, "I don't want to talk about chicken. I have five bags of leg quarters. I want pork chops, Boston butts, ribs and roasts."
The Register resident said that she is on oxygen but doesn't want to get someone else to make the run for her if she is selected.
"I want to have the fun. I liked to have jumped for joy when they said I might win. I think once I know where to start, I'll be doing pretty good."
Raymond expressed thanks to Ken's IGA and the Statesboro Herald for the opportunity.
"The only thing I ever won was a husband and a bunch of kids," she said.
She added that she may "borrow (her) son's football outfit and helmet" for the event.
The contestants will gather at 10 a.m. at Ken's IGA for the drawing.
"We really appreciate Ken's allowing us to use their store for the Grab," Healy said. "We thought this would be a popular contest, and it will be a lot of fun Saturday to see how much the winner can pack into his or her cart."
Holli Deal Saxon may be reached at (912) 489-9414.