Heinrich wins quintessential guitar

Robert Heinrich will not be putting the guitar he won in a Meadowbrook raffle that was conceived to raise money for the Children's Hospital at Dartmouth (CHAD) up for auction on ebay. The Gilford resident knows the Gibson ES335 semi-hollowbody instrument has a retail value of something over $3,000, but with the autographs of nearly every headline artist that performed at Meadowbrook this summer adorning front and back it's priceless.

Heinrich already has a guitar collection and Friday he was planning just how he will display this one — backed by mirrors so admirers can read the signatures on the back. He called the ES335 the "quintessential blues and jazz guitar".

The guitar raffle was conceived by a collaboration of representatives from Pepsi Bottling Company, Wal-Mart and the Meadowbrook Musical Arts Center. One-dollar tickets were sold at all 33 Meadowbrook concerts as well as at 26 Wal-Mart stores in New Hampshire and Maine.

Some of the $13,000 that was raised was donated to the Children's Miracle Network in Maine, with the remainder going to CHAD. That donation was a portion of a staggering $374,000 Wal-Mart employees helped raise to support CHAD this year.

Heinrich was awarded his prize at a brief ceremony at Meadowbrook on Friday.

On hand representing Wal-Mart was District Manager Tim Bernard. Marketing Manager John Hollovan spoke on behalf of Pepsi Bottling Co. and General Manager R. J. Harding hosted the gathering for Meadowbrook. David McWilliams thanked all parties involved in the raffle on behalf of CHAD.

Heinrich could not say which Meadowbrook concert he bought the winning ticket at, as he attended at least four.

Harding pointed out Bob Dylan's "John Hancock" size signature across the front and noted the legendary artist — the first the sign — "thought was going to be the only one." Alice Cooper later added his name right through the middle of Dylans.