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The next morning, Darla found that her husband had left a similar note for himself.

"He's a very organized, schedule-type person," Darla Orbistondo said.

One of the Orbistondo's vehicles, a 1989 Dodge Raider with 126,000 miles on it, started falling apart a few months ago - a problem with the clutch, the muffler coming loose, moss growing in the windows.

The couple had taken out a five-year loan on their second vehicle, a truck, and needed to rely on the Raider for three more years, when the loan on the truck would be paid off, Darla Orbistondo said.

So when John heard about the car giveaway, he wanted to make sure he and his wife gave it a shot.

"As I was going to the Chevrolet dealer yesterday, it was in prayer," said Darla Orbistondo on Thursday.

She walked into the showroom, asked one of the dealers about the promotion, and was led out to a truck on the Capital Chevrolet lot. Once she started the truck, she pushed the blue OnSTAR button.

OnSTAR is a tracking system that allows the driver to communicate with an operator who can give directions, send police or an ambulance to the car, or tell the driver about good restaurants in the area, said Ryan Carter, general manager of Capital Chevrolet.

This January through March, OnSTAR is holding a nationwide promotion in which 1,000 cars will be given away to people who press the OnSTAR button in vehicles at General Motors dealerships.

"You push the button and for lack of a better term, it's a roulette wheel," Carter said.

On Monday last week, Anna Beck of Juneau won a car. On Tuesday, Corey Baxter of Juneau won. On Wednesday, it was Orbistondo's turn.

"I pushed the button and a lady started talking to me," Darla Orbistondo said. "I'm talking to this rear-view mirror and you know you're kind of waiting for 'Candid Camera' to come on, like it's a joke."

The operator took Orbistondo's name and location and the make of the vehicle she had called from, and told Orbistondo to wait.

"Sure enough, she came back on and she asked me if I was sitting down and I said yes and she said, 'You just won a car,' " Orbistondo said.

Capital Chevrolet is the only dealership in the Northwest region of General Motors to give away a vehicle in the contest, said Carter.

Why Juneau has three winners out of only 1,000 nationwide is a mystery, he said.

"I don't have a clue," he said. "It's like lightning striking three times in one place."

As long as the three winners are not employees of General Motors, which Carter said they aren't, they'll soon receive packets in the mail telling them what General Motors vehicle they've won. If Capital Chevrolet has the vehicle in stock, the winners could have them this week.

• Christine Schmid can be reached at christine.schmid@juneauempire.com.