Tri-State Tax & Accounting and Refunds USA put the “fun” in “refund” this past tax season by giving away over $1,000 in valuable prizes.

“Tax season can be a dreadful time of year for many who owe Uncle Sam money, while at the same time a great one for those who get big refunds,” said Dave Schreiber, owner of Tri-State Tax & Accounting and Refunds USA. The two businesses are locally owned by Schreiber, a native of Albert Lea, and his wife Jolinda. They’ve been business owners for the last 28 years. Tri-State Tax and Refunds USA always tries to make preparing taxes a pleasant experience for everyone. This year the staff wanted to add a little extra excitement and spice things up. A drawing was created with a chance to win one of 21 prizes valued at over $1,000. At the end of the tax season, the winners’ names were randomly drawn.

Prizes included a free QuickBooks Seminar, Korner Mart gift certificates, oil change from Ultimate Automotive, many local restaurant gift certificates and several other gifts and prizes.The grand prize for each office was a 50-inch Sanyo HD Flat Screen TV.

Over 40 winners were announced and tax customers were notified by mail of the prize they had won. The grand prize winners of the huge 50-inch flats screen TVs for Tri-State Tax & Accounting was Brian Espe of New Richland and for Refunds USA Tax Office, Ryan and Corinne Applegate of Albert Lea.

Both Brian Espe and Ryan and Corinne Applegate were thrilled when they received a phone call telling them they were the grand prize winners of a new 50-inch TV. They could hardly believe it. Espe said, “Wow this never happens to me. I never win anything!”

Corrine Applegate also said she never wins when she enters drawings but was glad to be proven wrong. Applegate graciously added these comments about the tax office: “Refunds USA consistently provides friendly professional service to us and all their customers. We trust them with all our tax needs. Special thanks Refunds USA for going above and beyond to serve your customers and the community!”

“Every year we try to think of something a little different to show our clients that we appreciate them. Our business goal is to give every customer outstanding tax and accounting service and never forget how important the customer really is to us. The drawing was just one way to make the customers’ trip to our tax offices more enjoyable and show them we appreciate them!” Jolinda Schreiber said. Both Dave and Jolinda Schreiber agreed that Albert Lea has been a wonderful place to raise their family and the community is a great place to live and run a business. There are so many outstanding families and business owners living here and it’s been a tremendous privilege to serve them all the Schreibers said.