Williamson AM

Clarksville winner plans to keep Westhaven home

FRANKLIN —A Clarksville man won a $650,000 home in Westhaven on Sunday, helping Southern Land Co. and media partners WZTV-Channel 17 and WSIX-FM raise $1.6 million for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, a new fundraising record.

This is the fourth year that St. Jude has operated a campaign in Middle Tennessee and the fourth year that a Westhaven home has been the grand prize. According to a press release from the Memphis hospital, the volunteers' and community sponsors' participation and amount of money raised are unprecedented on a national scale.

"Middle Tennessee was the only campaign in the nation with a goal this high," said Katie Mizell, Middle Tennessee's St. Jude representative. "The people who participated in this campaign — whether volunteers, vendors or ticket buyers — should be extremely proud of this exceptional effort. We look forward to many great years to come."

David Tarrents was the grand-prize winner of the home. He and his wife, Julie, used adjectives like "amazing" and "spectacular" to describe the 3,871-square-foot home with four bedrooms and 3½ baths.

David was born in Portland, Tenn., and has lived in Clarksville for 50 years. He is a computer systems analyst for Johnson Electric Co. in Springfield. He has two children and has been married to Julie for 30 years.

David is about four years away from retirement. Julie is the manager of the US Bank branch on Fort Campbell Boulevard. The couple agrees that a move to Franklin may be on the horizon.

"We're going to try to keep the house. We won't be commuting from Nashville to Clarksville, but once we know all the details, we just might move on down there," Julie Tarrents said.

The Tarrentses have supported St. Jude by purchasing tickets for several years.

Winners of 2008 St. Jude Dream Home prizes
Grand-prize winner:

David Tarrents — St. Jude Dream Home house in Westhaven, valued at more than $650,000

Other prizes:

Ed Shirley — (Early Bird #1 – Feb. 22): Guitar autographed by Amy Grant and Vince Gill

Leon Denton — (Early Bird #2 – April 15): $2,500 worth of groceries, courtesy of Stites and Harbison

Karen Larson — (Open House Prize #1): $5,000 worth of furniture, courtesy of American Signature Furniture

Teresa DeMoss — (Open House Prize #2) - $250 gift card to Home Depot, courtesy of Churchill Mortgage

Maria Abercrombie — (Open House Prize #3) - $1,100 Superb natural gas grill, courtesy of the Hearth and Grill Shop

Roxane McGowan — Amy Grant and Vince Gill autographed guitar, courtesy of Blanton, Harrell, Cooke & Corzine

Lisa Rinehert — Denon Surround Sound Receiver, courtesy of SpringTree Media

Josh Gunnels — His and Her watches, courtesy of Crown Jewelry and Gifts

Jeff Bridges — $1,000 American Express Gift Card

Dave Toman — $1,000 gift certificate, courtesy of Trees N Trends

Larisa Hensiek — Clearwire PC Card and one-year service, courtesy of Clearwire

Streater Spencer — $1,000 gift certificate, courtesy of Legends Steakhouse

Paulette Wassel — $1,000 American Express Gift Card

Ricky Medley — 1 Lifestyle Portrait Session and 1 16x24 gallery-wrap canvas print, courtesy of McLellan Studio

Sandra Arnold — $1,000 gift certificate for glass mirrors, tabletops or shower doors, courtesy of Evans Glass

Pam Fusting — $1,000 American Express gift card, courtesy of Lincoln-Mercury dealers

Dessie Otay — $1,000 gift card, courtesy of The Factory at Franklin

Ronald and Tammy Veirs — $1,000 gift certificate toward any original oil paintings and framing, courtesy of Art Attack Nashville

Ruby Hillsman Holloway — $1,500 American Express Gift Card, courtesy of Lockton Companies

Charolette Fleming — Front-load Whirlpool washing machine and dryer, courtesy of Ferguson Enterprises

Sherry Rogers — Two Masters Series tickets, courtesy of the Nashville Symphony

Celia Toombs — Game table set, courtesy of Legacy Billiards

Amy Wilson — Outdoor play system or aboveground pool package, courtesy of Watson's

Floyd Freeman — Spa and home fitness package, courtesy of Watson's

Debra Meador — Hitachi
50-inch HD plasma TV, courtesy of Audio Video Environments