SOLDOTNA, AK (May 23, 2011) – Alaska Christian College easily won an online contest that netted it a new Toyota van and $1,000 on Friday.

The school competed against four other nonprofits as part of Toyota’s 100 Cars for Good program. The general public cast their votes online.

The school received 34 percent of total votes cast with the second-place contestant garnering 18 percent of votes, said President Keith Hamilton. “We are so grateful for our Covenant family and others linking arms and Facebook accounts to help us win this new van.”

The school uses minivans and two 15-passenger vans to transport its students, and the heavy usage has been wearing out the vehicles. The new van will replace one of them.

Hamilton says he hopes the school will receive the van before classes begin in the fall, but hasn’t heard about a delivery date from the automaker.

Toyota also awarded each of the competing nonprofits $1,000. “That should be able to buy about two tanks of gas here in Alaska!” Hamilton quipped.