With gas prices climbing to over $2.50 a gallon across Sampson County, everyone likely could use a little petro pick-me-up.

Enter The Sampson Independent’s Great Gas Giveaway, which begins today, affording those who participate an opportunity to win one of two $100 gas gift cards a week for the next five weeks.

In partnership with Sampson-Bladen Oil Company and its BP and Handee Hugo locations, as well as 12 sponsoring businesses across Sampson, the Gas Giveaway is a way, SI General Manager Sherry Matthews said, of having a little fun, supporting your local businesses and, at the same time, winning a very nice prize.

“Who doesn’t want to win free gas?” Matthews queried. “With gas prices on the rise, I would think everyone would be clamoring to enter the giveaway.”

Entering is simple. Just grab a Wednesday or Saturday paper each week from now through May 1, clip out one of the 12 registration forms on the page — found today on Page A10 — and take it to a participating business and drop it in the Great Gas Giveaway ballot box.

“You can enter as many times per week as you want, so cut out all 12, visit those businesses and drop the registration form in the ballot box. And, please support those participating businesses when you drop by. We always need to support our local businesses because they certainly support all of us in one way or another,” Matthews pointed out.

Winners will be drawn each Thursday, starting April 15, and winners’ names and photos will be published each Saturday.

Registration forms will be taken out of the ballot boxes for the drawing once a week, so to keep having an opportunity to win you must keep entering.

“We cannot thank John Clark and Sampson-Bladen Oil enough for participating with us in the gas giveaway,” Matthews said. “And I’m just as grateful to our 12 sponsoring businesses – Railroad Street Steakhouse in Roseboro; Sampson Partners (both the Shop on Main and Furniture Plus) in Clinton; Mi Finca Mexican Restaurant in Clinton; Performance Ford and Performance Chrysler Dodge Jeep; Elizabeth’s Pecans in Turkey; James Trading in Roseboro; Davis Auto in Clinton; High Cotton in Clinton; Aim Discount in Clinton; Owens Home Furnishings in Clinton and Fantastic Sam’s in Clinton’s Walmart Shopping Center — for their willingness to be a part.”

During a year when the pandemic has kept people inside, Matthews said, the Gas Giveaway was a great opportunity to go shopping, enter the giveaway and maybe win $100 or more in gas cards.

“There’s no limit to how often you enter, so if you are one of those really lucky individuals you could win more than once. The key is how often you enter and how many places you take those registration forms to.”

The Gas Giveaway registration page will run in The Sampson Independent every Wednesday and Saturday through May 1, with winners being drawn through May 13.

“We hope folks will enjoy this, and participate. You can’t win if you don’t register.”