Local woman comes close in sweepstakes contest

Shelley Pickens came closer than most of us to winning fabulous wealth. As one of 210 finalists for the annual Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes, Pickens won $1,000 rather than the $10 million she hoped for. But she was the only one in all the “Los Angeles area” to get even that far, according to a news release from the company.

“I’m on pins and needles,” she said Tuesday by phone before the contest winner was announced. Though she said she has entered before, “this is the first time we’ve actually come this far.”

Pickens certainly has plans for the future — the Huntington Beach mother of one is going to Orange Coast College full-time to get her early childhood development credential, so she can teach and care for the very young. Husband Michael Pickens works for Costa Mesa-based Nordic Security Services as a private security guard, and his wife said his co-workers were concerned about losing him if his family won big.

A recent accident on the way to school left Pickens with $6,000 in damage to her sideswiped Honda Odyssey minivan, Pickens said. Even that $1,000 will help defray the costs, especially since she doesn’t know how much her insurance will cover, she said.

“It puts your life into perspective,” she added. “You can’t take it for granted. You could step off a curb tomorrow and get hit by a car.”

Pickens, 40, lives in a Huntington Beach apartment with her husband, also 40, and a preschool-aged son, William Pickens. With a child, a cat and a dog, their rooms are starting to feel a bit cramped, she said.

The winner of the contest was surprised by the Publishers Clearing House Prize Patrol van on Wednesday.

The name and hometown of the winner were not available by press time.

Pickens said she intended to stay home from class that day in case she won, but would still turn in assignments by e-mail.