Most people dread medical appointments.

Heading to the doctor, or dentist or specialist just isn’t something most of us look forward to.

That’s most likely what Bud Renninger was thinking when he, along with wife Carol, stopped in at the Expert Hearing Solutions office in Oliver Tuesday morning for his scheduled appointment.

Bud could probably think of 10 things he would sooner have been doing.

However, Bud and Carol quickly found out this would not be a normal trip to see Bryan Kawer, Expert Hearing’s specialist.

Once inside the office, Assistant Michelle Spillett entered the room, and let the Renninger’s know they had just won a trip for two anywhere in Canada.

“Well, we’re excited because of the fact we won the trip. With my luck – usually it’s bad luck. Other than that, everything’s super,” said Bud, sporting an ear-to-ear grin. “Now, I’m really excited.”

Everyone who came into one of the 18 Expert Hearing Solutions offices across Canada between June and September was given an opportunity to enter a chance to win a return trip for two anywhere in Canada.

So, does the couple have any idea where they would like to go?

“Well, we’ve got some friends in Halifax,” responded Carol. “I guess you want to get the most out of this.”

“That would probably be a pretty good idea,” offered Bud.

“Our 25th wedding anniversary is on the 25th of June, so we’ll just make this our present,” added Carol.

A random name from each office was entered into a draw and then a winning ticket was pulled. Out of over 7,000 entries the winner of the final draw was Bud Renninger.

“We’re so happy. Everybody in town who came for a hearing test put their names in. Bud was drawn for the first go around, then went through corporate,” said Spillett. “Oliver is rockin’. We are a very lucky town.”

Bud not only had a hearing assessment with Expert Hearing but he was one of the first to purchase the newest hearing technological hearing aid, called the Oticon OPN.

“It’s strictly luck,” concluded Bud of his situation.

“We don’t normally have things like this come out of the blue,” added Carol.

The Renninger’s are a lucky couple – and, it appears, Maritime-bound to celebrate their anniversary.

-Dale Cory