Jeff and Pam Hicks were randomly chosen to receive mortgage assistance as part of the Blues Fan Bailout Plan. Winners will be chosen at every remaining Saturday home game this season.

Dinner and a hockey game.

That was Pam and Jeff Hicks’ idea of a perfect night out. With a struggling economy and less money being saved in their bank account these days, the Hicks figured that dinner and a Blues game would be a great way to have a good time without putting too much strain on their pocketbook.

Not a bad idea, especially considering that Saturday’s game vs. Edmonton marked the first time the Blues selected a fan to receive mortgage assistance as part of the Fan Bailout Plan. Pam’s seat was chosen as the lucky winner and as a result, her mortgage will be paid by the Blues for four months.

“We’re still amazed, I think we’re still in shock,” Jeff, her husband, said. “I’m just amazed that this has happened. It’s a pretty incredible thing.”

The promotion, called Fannie and Freddie Mortgage Saturdays, is part of the Fan Bailout Plan, a unique strategy from the Blues designed to give fans help during tough economic times. The team will randomly select a winner at every remaining Saturday home game this season to receive four months of mortgage or rent payment assistance. The Bailout Plan also includes reduced ticket prices in select sections for every Blues game.

“We were thrilled to award our first Mortgage Bailout to the Hicks family and are looking forward to 10 more exciting Saturdays,” said David Bullock, Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President for the St. Louis Blues. “This was the perfect way for the Blues to give back to our fans and say thank you for supporting us, now more than ever.”

The help couldn’t come at a better time for the Hicks family, whose income is down more than 30 percent this year. Jeff owns a financial planning company and although he expects his business to keep growing, he says the struggling economy has certainly taken its toll.

“It’s impacted us. It’s not great, I’m not at all happy about it,” he said. “Looking forward here for the next couple years, especially the next six months, conditions appear to be extremely horrible. I don’t know if there’s a horrible enough term to describe what I’m expecting going forward.”

For now, the Hicks can enjoy the holidays with their family and not be concerned about paying the mortgage on their Alton, IL home.

“I’ve always said your house should be the nicest and warmest place you ever go to,” Pam said. “When you walk in the door, you can feel like its home. That’s our house.

“It’s a wonderful promotion. It worked out great.”