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Carrie  McElwee
Stellantis



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Couple Begins “Journey of a Lifetime” at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show

  • Blake Humphrey and Jackie Rohner of Rock Island, Ill., won the Dodge “Journey of a Lifetime” contest and were married on Valentine’s Day at the 100th Chicago Auto Show surrounded by thousands of vehicles
  • Humphrey and Rohner will “start their journey” as husband and wife in an all-new 2009 Dodge Journey
  • The couple walked down the aisle to the Journey song “Open Arms” and danced their first dance to “When You Love a Woman”
February 13, 2008,  Chicago - Winners of the Dodge “Journey of a Lifetime” contest, Blake Humphrey and Jackie Rohner from Rock Island, Ill., are now husband and wife. The couple was married in a Valentine’s Day ceremony right on the floor of the 100th Chicago Auto Show.

By marrying wedding vows with motor oil, Dodge helped the couple bypass traditional wedding planning as they put the pedal to the metal to bring the couple’s dream wedding to life. With the nuptials behind them, they can begin their journey together behind the wheel of an all-new 2009 Dodge Journey.

“Crossing over from single to married life is a big step for many couples, so Dodge is happy to give Blake and Jackie an all-new 2009 Dodge Journey, a vehicle that blends the practicality of a minivan, the capability of an SUV and the overall efficiency of a passenger car,” said Mike Accavitti, Director – Dodge Brand Marketing. “Dodge is thrilled to offer this one-of-a-kind wedding and ‘right-sized’ crossover for such a bold, fun-loving couple who live the ‘Grab Life’ motto.”

Dodge threw the newlyweds—Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey—an all-expenses paid wedding with all the bells and whistles. The winter wedding was complete with a ceremony in front of 100 of their closest family and friends, the bride’s dream wedding dress, floral bouquets, wedding cake and more. A live Journey cover band rocked the reception, crooning to tunes like “Open Arms” and the couple’s favorite, “Don’t Stop Believin’.”

Humphrey, a fireman, and Rohner, a parent educator, were selected from 63 entries. The couple met in 2007 on St. Patrick’s Day and were engaged nine months later on Dec. 8. They describe themselves as a fun-loving, free-spirited couple who love new challenges and tackling new adventures. They are always looking for a new experience to add to their list of adventures, which includes running road races, competing in triathlons and raccoon hunting, to name a few.

“We thank Dodge for making our special day so memorable. From walking down the aisle to the tune of a classic Journey song to being surrounded by thousands of cars and our family and friends, it was the perfect way for us to start our journey together,” said Humphrey. “And winning the ‘Journey of a Lifetime’ contest allowed us to dodge shopping for the dreaded floral arrangements and china patterns and head straight to the altar in our new Dodge Journey.”

Blake Humphrey and Jackie Rohner’s Winning Essay
"My fiancé and I are always looking for a new experience to add to the list of adventures we have started in the 10 months we have been together. Starting our journey at the Chicago Auto Show on Valentine’s Day would be a great addition.

"Blake and I met on St. Patrick’s Day last year. We immediately fell in love with each other and each other's crazy love for trying new things. Blake and I complement each other and support each other in all of life’s adventures. Being a fireman, Blake loves a new challenge, a new adventure, and just being active. Being an educator, the kids I work with fill me with the passion for new experiences, and the silliness and free spirit to try and enjoy every new adventure. In 10 months, we have introduced each other to things we never dreamed of doing and have shared some common interests.

"Our most favorite experiences include raccoon hunting late at night in the middle of the dark woods, running road races, competing in triathlons, tent camping, fishing, hiking, building snow forts, supporting both our baseball teams (the Cardinals and the White Sox) at the ballpark, and tackling every water slide and coaster we can get to. If we have experienced and accomplished so many great things in less than a year of dating, we can’t wait to see what—together as a married couple—we can accomplish in a lifetime. If only we could get married in the next month and have a reliable vehicle we could use for our next great adventure. Just think how many triathlons we could compete in around the country if we had a vehicle to get us there with our bikes and all our gear. Or how many raccoons we could take home after a hard night in the woods.

"We got engaged December 8, 2007, but have been ready to marry each other since the day we met. We would love to be granted the opportunity to begin our journey on Valentine's Day this year. We should be selected to start our journey of a lifetime together at the Chicago Auto Show on Valentine's Day because we are madly in love and want to begin our journey with the greatest adventure we could think of—winning this contest and getting married at the Chicago Auto Show." – Jackie Rohner

Engaged Couples Say “I Do!”
Couples were invited to register online at http://www.DodgeJourneyOfALifetime.com for the chance to be married at the Chicago Auto Show. Residents from Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Kentucky were allowed to register online, from Tuesday, Dec. 4 at 12:01 a.m. (ET) until Tuesday, Jan. 22 at 5:00 p.m. (ET). Potential contestants answered the question, “Why should Dodge select you to start your ‘Journey’ of a lifetime together at the Chicago Auto Show on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2008?” and submit a photo of themselves as a couple.

About the Dodge Journey
The all-new 2009 Dodge Journey is the Dodge brand’s newest crossover vehicle, offering a unique combination of versatility and flexibility in a sporty, sexy package. The all-new vehicle takes the practicality of a minivan, the capability of a sport-utility vehicle (SUV) and the overall efficiency of a passenger car and blends all the best attributes of each into an all-new “right-sized” crossover for the Dodge brand. Clever, flexible seating and storage combinations include standard five-passenger seating with spacious cargo room and available third-row seating for carrying up to seven passengers. Spacious storage bins, hidden in the floor and available under the front passenger seat cushion, combined with the standard Chill Zone for beverage storage, make Dodge Journey incredibly flexible and functional. The Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price of the 2009 Dodge Journey is $19,985 (including $625 destination).

About the Dodge Brand
With a U.S. market share of 6.6 percent, Dodge is Chrysler LLC’s best-selling brand and the fifth largest nameplate in the U.S. automotive market. In 2007, Dodge sold more than 1.3 million vehicles in the global market.

The Dodge brand’s first crossover vehicle—the all-new 2009 Dodge Journey—is available in the first quarter of 2008, and will be available outside North America in both left- and right-hand drive in mid-2008. Arriving in the spring will be the limited-edition 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 with a 6.1-liter HEMI V-8 engine that boasts 425 horsepower and 420 lb.-ft. of torque. The all-new 2009 Dodge Ram with game-changing exterior and interior design, innovations, best-in-class features and craftsmanship will arrive in the fall. Also arriving this year will be the 2009 Dodge Durango Hybrid. Recently the all-new 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan arrived in dealerships with 35 new or improved features including the newest innovation, the Swivel ‘n Go™ seating system. In 2007, Dodge Avenger and Nitro entered key volume segments outside North America, joining the Dodge Caliber, which launched in those markets in 2006.


 

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