Addi Johnson of Salina sent her grandma a flurry of texts on Saturday – suggesting a change to her original guess in hopes of winning Santa’s Stash. But sage advise from her grandma, Linda Grob proved to be the difference.

Linda was sitting in for Addi who had to travel, and the plan not to waver paid off. Addi’s original guess of $3,675.95 was just $37.73 off the total amount of cash and gift cards in Santa’s Stash this year – a whopping $3,713.68.

Linda told KSAL News that Addi had not spent much time talking about how she might spend the money.

Addi was among a group of finalists who qualified to be a part of the grand finale of Meridian Media’s “Santa’s Stash” event on Saturday in Salina.

Meridian Media’s Hannah Holt, bankers from the Bank of Tescott and Susan Hawksworth from Smoky Hill Museum celebrate with Linda and Addi

“Santa’s Stash” is a locked box full of cash. The box was on display at various locations around the area. At each location, guesses of how much money is in the box were taken. The closest guess at each location became a finalist.

At the final event Saturday at the Smoky Hill Museum, each finalist had the opportunity to change their guess. Addi and her grandma stood pat and won.

Major sponsors of “Santa’s Stash” included the Smoky Hill Museum, the Bank of Tescott, and the Meridian Media Salina group of radio stations.

Each year during the holiday season, the “Santa’s Stash” promotion let’s people guess an amount of cash and change in a glass box at numerous locations before the finale.

Meridian Media thanks all of the businesses, sponsors, and listeners who participated.