An Exeter homemaker is the lucky winner of a contest to determine which donors would have a private dinner with Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

   The dinner is set for Monday night in Nashua according to a campaign spokesman.

  Gabrielle Grossman was among four online contributors selected  from thousands who offered their personal stories along with donations as small as $5.

   “Throughout this campaign, I have met with thousands of Americans who share their ideas about how to bring fundamental change to Washington and our country,’’ Obama said.

     Grossman had been a seventh-grade teacher until becoming a stay-at-home mother. The week she signed up to volunteer for Obama’s campaign she learned her two-year-old has autism.

    The volunteer work has kept her spirits up, she said.

   “At a time when you don’t feel like you have a lot of hope, it’s done the total opposite.  The campaign has gotten us involved and given me more hope than ever,’’ Grossman added.

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