So when Melissa Prewett, an NDIS accounts manager, picked up the phone to hear Community Living and Respite Services chief executive Leah Taaffe on the other end, she didn’t know whether she was about to hear good or bad news.
But the news ended up being very good indeed: Ms Taaffe was delivering the message that Ms Prewett was this year’s CLRS mega draw winner of a $10,000 home improvement package.
“I didn’t really know what was happening, and Leah said, ‘I think you need to take a seat’,” Ms Prewett said.
“When she told me, I thought, ‘no, it can’t have been me, I only bought one ticket’.
"I wanted to help support what they (CLRS) were doing in the community, and you’ve got to be in it to win it, but you buy tickets in everything and dream you’ll win it all but never do; I was just stunned.’’
The draw, which set out at the start of the year to raise funds for CLRS’ Opening Doors project, saw members of the community in with a one in 60 chance to win bonus monthly prizes, before all tickets purchased across 10 months went in the running to win the $10,000 mega draw reward.
After her family car was stolen in July, Ms Prewett said she couldn’t believe her luck in winning the major prize.
“Earlier this year we had planned to upgrade a lot of our furniture, but the funds we had aside to do some improvements went to purchasing a new car,” she said.
“Now we can get some of those things done.
“My kids (Emily, 12, Chloe, 10, and Cora, 4) are excited because we can get a dishwasher and a new kitchen table and chairs.
“Even with things like the concrete, we are looking at getting a shed, so we can get the slab.”
As part of the $10,000 package, Ms Prewett receives $1000 worth of concrete from Mawson’s Concrete & Quarries, $1000 worth of insurance with AUSURE Insurance, a $1000 voucher from Echuca Carpet Court, a $1000 voucher from S & J Furniture, a $1000 voucher at Echuca Betta Home Living, a $1000 voucher at Forty Winks Echuca, a $1000 voucher with Echuca Moama Plant Farm/The Garden Planners and $3000 worth of vouchers from Harvey Norman Echuca.
Mega draw raises more than $40,000 for Opening Doors project
Community Living and Respite Services held a morning tea at the Murray River Tea Rooms last week, where Ms Taaffe announced its mega draw fundraiser had raised $44,500 for the Opening Doors project.
With several sponsors and their partners in attendance, Ms Taaffe said the team was thrilled by how the initiative had been received.
“The support of the local community — from the businesses which provided the mega draw prize and those who provided the monthly bonus prizes, the corporate ticket buyers and every person who bought a ticket — has been outstanding,” Ms Taaffe said.
Ms Taaffe also acknowledged the support of partners Moama Bowling Club, The Riverine Herald, and Ace Radio, as well as the work of the CLRS fundraising committee.
All the money raised from the draw goes to the Opening Doors project, which is currently in the midst of constructing its latest home in Barry St, Echuca.
“The support provided for our Opening Doors projects is enabling 20 people with disability to live independently in our community, in homes that meet their needs, which is a fantastic achievement within our small community,” Ms Taaffe said.
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