Sonoma County restaurant owner offers $21,000 in prizes to get employees vaccinated

Safeway pharmacist Preston Young (L) administers a Moderna COVID-19 vaccination to Cecile Lusby (R) during a drive-thru vaccination clinic at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds on Jan. 13, 2021 in Santa Rosa, California. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

by: Los Angeles Times

Posted: Aug 10, 2021 / 04:58 PM PDT

Updated: Aug 10, 2021 / 04:58 PM PDT

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A Sonoma County restaurant owner is offering a lucrative incentive for her employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Terri Stark, who co-owns Stark Reality Restaurants with her husband, Mark, is hosting a contest that will give away up to $21,000 in gift cards to workers who get vaccinated. The goal is to encourage all of the couple’s 486 employees to get inoculated.

A total of 21 gift cards — each worth $1,000 — will be split evenly among the seven Bay Area restaurants the Starks own. Vaccinated employees will be entered into a lottery, and winners will be announced in a Sept. 1 drawing.

About 85% of the staff across the seven restaurants are fully vaccinated, Stark said, but since she and her husband launched the contest on July 23, more than a dozen others have received their shots.

Read the full story on LATimes.com.