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Jennifer Gattis of McLeansville has spent a lot of time taking online surveys over the past four years or so. Sometimes, her husband would give her a hard time about it.

But he’s not teasing her much now.

Jennifer Gattis’ time online won the family a new car.

An online market research panel, Ipsos i-Say, drew Gattis’ name from a pool of about 105,000 North Americans. Now the family has a black 2009 Toyota Prius.

The company presented the car to the Gattis family March 31 at Rice Toyota in Greensboro.

Jennifer and Michael Gattis stood smiling next to the car while their three children ran circles around it and played in the back seat.

“Mom, the bow is still on the car,” said 5-year-old Selena.

“I’m wondering if they’re not more excited than me,” Gattis said.

She called the win “a huge blessing.” Last year, Michael Gattis was laid off, and she home schools the children. He decided to start his own flooring company, Precise Flooring, but has been driving a beat-up 1995 Nissan Altima.

Now potential clients “can actually see him getting out of a nice car rather than a ’95 with no hubcaps,” Jennifer Gattis said. And because the Prius is a hybrid, the family will save money on fuel.

Jennifer Gattis got hooked on surveys when her 5-year-old twins were babies and she needed mental stimulation.

The activity combines two of her favorite things, she said. “I get 'me time,’ and I get to tell people what I think.”

The surveys range in topics from consumer goods to politics.
“If you name it, I’ve taken a survey on it,” she said.

Contact Jamie Kennedy Jones at jamie.kennedy@news-record.com or 449-4610.