Keyboard, Warranty, and Apple Care Issues

I'm new here and I have a bit of a problem.

I bought my 17 inch Macbook Pro in August of 2007. The keyboard backlight has never really worked properly so I usually never even bothered with it.
Anyway, about 2 weeks ago my boyfriend spilled beer all over the keyboard by accident which made the key between the z and the c not work anymore. Then a week ago I spilled coke (I'm really not that much of a slob..) all over my computer. All the keys still work but are incredibly sticky.
So I called the Apple Hotline, asking how much it would be to get my keyboard fized and the guy said that my warranty is up (I don't know how it could be because I haven't even had this computer for a year) and he said I don't have Apple Care but I bought it when I bought my computer and I remember installing it!
He said it would be about 500 dollars to replace my keyboard and I'm hoping the Apple Store where I bought my computer will see that I bought Apple Care.
I really don't know what to do so any kind of advice would be appreciated.

First thing i would do is go to your apple store and get them to check your apple care status. Then ask what they think you should do. If they still want to charge you $500 there is always the option of DIY there are plenty of videos/tutorials which will take you through every step of the way if you feel your comfortable with taking apart your mbp

Applecare doesn't cover accidental damage which that is. So applecare or not you will have to pay to get that fixed. But if you have the original credit card that it was purchased on they can pull up your receipt. and that will show if it was purchased or not. Then you will be covered for "manufacturer defects" but not accidental damage for 3 years. but you will still have to ask apple nicely to put the applecare on the machine if it wasn't done within the year from purchase.