Lassen Wins Comfort Series Contest and Sweepstakes

By Allison Canter

An Ashe County woman, Sandra Lassen, put her writing talent to work for her, winning a La-Z-Boy room

makeover awarded as a $3,000 gift certificate from La-Z-Boy in their Comfort Stories Contest and Sweepstakes Giveaway.

Lassen used her skills, acquired through the years, to write an essay describing how La-Z-Boy has made her life more comfortable and what La-Z-Boy means to her. She said she found out about the competition when she was browsing the company's website and that she is very fond of the brand and owns three La-Z-Boys. She decided to enter the contest, and it was a plus that writing comes easy to the West Jefferson resident.

"It was a topic that was easy to write about. In high school my dad had a La-Z-Boy recliner, which he was very territorial over and my boyfriend came over and he sat in my dad's recliner," Lassen said.

The contest ended on Feb. 8 and Lassen was informed that she had won the grand prize by a call and an affidavit mailed to her. She signed and returned the form for her reward. Lassen said they typically have thousands of entrants and the voting is done on-line. Lassen and her husband, Dallas, went to the La-Z-Boy gallery in Winston-Salem, where they were treated fantastic, according to Lassen. The couple used the gift certificate to get two sets of the double recliners. "I can have one in my TV room and he can have one in his," she said.

Lassen began writing in first grade and continues the craft today. She said her parents always considered books sacred and encouraged her to read which helped to inspire her to become a writer. In the 1960s, Lassen taught in Laurel, Md. and has also taught in Florida and was a substitute teacher at Ashe County High School. She said she likes working with teenagers and relates better to them.

Lassen has written for over 600 different publications, including a religious magazine, but currently she just writes as a hobby. Lassen holds a philosophy degree.

She is the co-founder of the Blue Ridge Writer's Group and is still a member. She said they are always welcoming new writers.

In the past, Lassen has won awards in high school and at regional competitions for her writing. She said she was always big on education and that it upsets her that more people are getting business degrees and not going in to the writing fields and creative thinking jobs. She wanted to encourage others to go into the education field and to enter writing contests. "The younger you get started, the better," said Lassen.

Anyone who is interested in become a writer, according to Lassen, needs to read everything, soup cans, advertisements, anything that interest you.

Lassen wanted to send a special thank you to La-Z-Boy for the contest and to her friends of the Blue Ridge Writer's Group.

La-Z-Boy is currently holding the Summer of Comfort Sweepstakes, which is open to all legal residents of the United States. One lucky winner will receive a three piece Rex room group featuring a reclining soft, loveseat and chair plus a six piece, Belle Meade outdoor seating set, valued at over $6,700. Each participant may enter one entry per day during the promotion period. There is no purchase necessary and the deadline to enter is Aug. 31.

For more information on current contest, click to www.la-z-boy.com/sweepstakes.

Lassen's winning essay
In August 1988, I had a blind date with a recently widowed gentleman. I liked him so much that I invited him to supper the very next evening. After dinner, we sat in my brand new double-recliner that I had special ordered from La Z Boy. We kissed. Then, we kissed again. We were no dewy eyed teens. I was 45, and he was 61.

Within five months, we were married! Last year, we had our La-Z-Boy double recliner reupholstered. It has a place of honor in our living room and we kiss in it daily. We are now 65 and 81. We will celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary in a few weeks. I'll bet there will be some kissing on our "honeymoon chair" (as we call it) on that happy day!