By Donald Wittkowski
It was clear from all of the suitcases they were toting Friday that Joanna Vassallo and her family planned to have a big Memorial Day weekend.
Their holiday getaway in Ocean City includes a three-night stay at the historic Flanders Hotel, ensconced in a penthouse suite on the ninth floor that offers stunning views of the coastline for miles and miles.
“It’s unbelievable,” Vassallo exclaimed while peeking out from the balcony. “The view is spectacular. The whole suite is gorgeous, too.”
Perhaps best of all, Vassallo won’t be paying for it. She was the lucky winner of a luxury Memorial Day weekend trip sponsored by OCNJDaily.com in partnership with the Flanders.
Chosen from tens of thousands of entries, Vassallo said she initially thought it was a joke when she received a text message from OCNJDaily.com owner Ken Wisnefski notifying her that she was the winner.
“I was down on the Boardwalk when I got a text from Ken. At first, I thought there had to be some kind of catch. I said to myself, ‘No, this can’t be right.’
She checked in at the Flanders accompanied by her daughter, Gemma, her sister, Diane Trace, her nephew, Josh Vassallo, and her daughter’s friend, Bridget McGuigan. More family members are joining them over the weekend.
“We are so excited to welcome Joanna and her family to the Flanders,” said Peter Voudouris, president of the Flanders Condominium Association.
Complimentary gift baskets stocked with giveaways and goodies provided by OCNJDaily.com’s sponsors greeted Joanna and her family when they entered their suite.
Vassallo called Ocean City her favorite place for day trips. Now, she’ll be spending an entire weekend.
“We’re going to play it by ear,” she said of the family’s plans. “We’ll pack in as much as we can.”
Readers should stay tuned for more OCNJDaily.com contests in the near future.
