Amid cheers of encouragement from shoppers and staff alike, Broadwood resident, Carol Reed, hardly broke a sweat as she raced around SPAR The Acres in Perridgevale accumulating groceries worth a whopping R7 135,88.

 
That her windfall came on Women’s Day was the icing on the cake.
 
“Not bad for a 66-year-old with a knee replacement,” a beaming Reed quipped at the end of her trolley dash.
 
She is one of five winners in a radio competition run by SPAR Eastern Cape in partnership with Algoa FM.
 
Between July 28 and August 1, listeners were asked to tune in and tell the station’s breakfast show presenters what made their local SPAR “super”.
 
Those selected were then given the chance to fill their trolleys with food items at their favourite outlet.
 
Reed, who was accompanied by grandsons Michael, 11, and Daniel, 7, had her game plan mapped out well ahead of her 120-second charge.
 
“I had in mind what I wanted. I went for meat first – a leg of lamb, some steaks as well. Daniel also wanted oxtail and Michael wanted sushi, so I got those too,” she said.
 
“I just missed out on the box of fish but that’s fine – there’s a harbour here [in Gqeberha]!”
 
She used to live near the store but kept coming back after moving to Broadwood.
 
The combination of layout, affordable meats and personality of long-time store manager Chris Dipholo was more than enough reason to, she said.
 
“Chris makes a person feel like you are part of the SPAR family.”
 
She said her dash hadn’t just made her Women’s Day but her entire year as she had recently been retrenched and considered the opportunity “a blessing”.
 
Lady Luck also shone on Michelle Holloway, another regular.
 
As part of the competition the names of the first 100 customers on the designated trolley dash day also went into a lucky draw. The winner, Holloway in this case, would then also get an opportunity to speed-shop their way to whatever food items took their fancy.
 
The Kabega Park mother explained that she had completed the last available form.
 
Her haul amounted to R3 827, which, given her lack of preparation time, was nothing to sneeze at.
 
“It was truly a blessing to be able to fill in that last one,” she said.
 
Dipholo said he had known Reed for years and was delighted that a familiar face had brought home the bacon – and a whole lot more – for her family.
 
She had a routine that involved enjoying a coffee at the adjoining Bean Tree after doing her shopping, he added.
 
“It’s absolutely fantastic that we have one of our regulars winning. We know her very well. She’s never going to go anywhere else after this!”
 
He felt both women had done very well in terms of their selections.
 
SPAR EC advertising manager Roseann Shadrach said being able to give back to two ladies on Women’s Day made the first of five trolley dashes even more special.
 
She added that Holloway had been quite emotional, telling her that the organisers didn’t realise how much she needed the chance to load up on groceries without having to pay a cent.
 
“To know that two women walked away with full trollies and full hearts and spirits means that SPAR will forever be known for doing that for them,” she said.
 
The next dash takes place on Saturday, August 16.