Rushville woman, four other donors have lunch with Obama

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By Beth Boehne

Story Created: Apr 12, 2008 at 5:00 PM EST

Story Updated: Apr 12, 2008 at 5:00 PM EST

MUNCIE, Ind. (AP) — A Rushville woman who lunched Saturday with Sen. Barack Obama and four other donors to his campaign said the meeting was surreal but one of the highlights of her life.

Bonnie Lochetta, a single mother of three, sat next to the Illinois senator as they ate hamburgers inside the Arena Lounge at Ball State University's Worthen Arena with four other "low-dollar" donors to his campaign.

"It was definitely one of the top 10 (moments) in my life. Absolutely," Lochetta said.

Two days after Lochetta donated $25 to Obama's campaign along with a short note, she learned she had been chosen to eat a meal with him as part of the Dinner/Lunch with Obama program.

Four other people were flown in Friday from New Mexico, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and New York for Obama's Saturday morning speech and then lunch.

Between them, the five have contributed a combined $165 to Obama's campaign.

Lochetta, who is the office manager at the Main Street Christian Church in Rushville, had donated $25 — her first-ever campaign contribution to a presidential candidate.

After the five were seated, Obama walked in the door a few minutes later, shook hands with all five and quickly urged the diners to relax as they sat at the table. He picked up the trays of sandwiches from the center of the table and served each of his guests.

"I promise you that I will be eating, because I'm starving," Obama said.

The menu was simple — a selection of chicken or portobello mushroom sandwiches or a hamburger, plus salads and brownies for dessert. Cans of Coca-Cola products were on the table, as were bottles of water and jugs of iced tea.

During the lunch, the five guests took turns telling Obama a bit about their lives, and asked him some questions. After about an hour, it was all over.

"It's surreal," Lochetta said Saturday afternoon, in her car and on her way home after the experience. "It was funny. Once he came in, it was just like sitting down and talking with someone that you've known for a long time. He seems very genuine. It was much better than I expected. He's a very down-to-earth guy."

Lochetta said one of her fellow diners, Alisha Cordell of Raleigh, N.C., planned to take her sandwich home with her, freeze it and eat it on inauguration day.

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Information from: The Star Press, http://www.thestarpress.com

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