SWEET HOME CHICAGO!

Chicago Native Fran Lenyo Wins Shoreline Cruise Packages!

John N. Parsons, NICTD, (right) presents Fran Lenyo, (center) and husband Mike with the July Chicago Fun Package, which included 4 tickets to a Chicago River Architecture Cruise, 4 tickets to a Skyline Lake Tour, a $100 Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville Gift Card at Navy Pier, and 8 free round-trip fares on the South Shore Line (a total value of $350).

Fran Lenyo, the winner of July's Chicago Fun Package, loves Chicago! Is it for the deep-dish pizza? For one of Chicago's famous hot dogs? Or, maybe she's a Sox or Cubs fan? Maybe it's just the fact that we've got an amazing big city right at our doorstep.

Well, the truth is, Fran was born in Chicago. And, although she left the Windy City for the wide open spaces of Indiana with her family when she was only six years old, she still considers Chicago her "home town."

Fran, a Mishawaka resident, saw the South Shore ad with the contest in the South Bend Tribune and went straight to the website to enter the drawing, thinking "who knows, I might win." When John Parsons of NICTD called Fran to let her know she won the July Chicago Fun Package, Fran was thrilled.

The July Fun Package, valued at over $350, includes 4 Tickets to a Chicago River Architecture Cruise, 4 Tickets to a Skyline Lake Tour, a $100 Gift Card to Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville at Navy Pier, and Round-trip Fare on the South Shore Line.

"I never win anything," she exclaimed. "This was a great surprise, and I can't wait to go back to my home town and see it from an entirely different view point…from the water!” Fran said that she's going to keep her eyes open for the other South Shore ads, and she'll definitely enter again to try to keep her luck going!

"I always take the train to Chicago and love riding the South Shore," commented Fran. "It's perfect for me because driving there would take me out of my element. There's all that traffic and construction. With the South Shore Line, I always know when I'm going to leave and when I'm going to return home. You never know how long it would take if you drove there."

Fran and her husband, Mike, are planning to take advantage of their prize package sometime in September.

"I've already e-mailed John (Parsons), and I told him I'll be sending him lots of pictures of my trip! Maybe if he's lucky, Fran will bring back a slice of heaven (or maybe an entire deep-dish pizza) for John and his office to enjoy!

Keep your eyes open for Fran's photos in an upcoming issue of Rail Lines, the South Shore's monthly e-newsletter.