Santa arrives via ATM for UD employee

Wanda Thomas ties the ATM challenge record.

3:47 p.m., Dec. 8, 2004--With a $500 windfall in the bag, Wanda Thomas is planning her Christmas shopping for her boyfriend, two sons and four grandchildren. The UD custodial worker made five withdrawals of $100 each in less than three minutes during the WSFS Bank's ATM challenge on Tuesday, Dec. 7.

Thomas, of Delaware City, won the opportunity in a random draw from entry slips submitted to the bank by customers and noncustomers. The challenge was to make as many $100 withdrawals as possible of the bank’s funds in three minutes at the new ATM machines in the Trabant University Center.

Thomas matched the record number of transactions, which was set by Lauren Dana Leff, AS '04, May 20.

"I was excited. It's a whole different feeling knowing that I have money that I didn't have before." Thomas said. "It just made me feel good. I really enjoyed it."

Thomas said she was worried that she would drop the card or hit the wrong keys. Her boyfriend, Paul Lyons, and her son, Randy Thomas, who accompanied her to the contest, remained silent to avoid distracting her.

"I think they were excited, but they didn't want to say too much because they didn't want to confuse me," Thomas said. "I was not used to that machine. They say it's faster, but it felt slower to me. It's probably because I was used to the old machine.”

Thomas said she will spend all the money on Christmas shopping, but, she added, the fun and excitement of the challenge is an experience she will never forget.

Article by Martin Mbugua
Photo by Kathy Atkinson

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