Manager wins superstar award
Debbie Bryan is a superstar — it’s official. From auctioning off husbands, to entering a triathlon and running a pet expo, fundraising has become an integral part of her team.
The Marewa Pharmacy retail manager was rewarded for her efforts when she won the New Zealand Pharmacy Awards Self-care Superstar award at a ceremony in Auckland a couple of months ago.
Debbie says when she began working at the Marewa Pharmacy nearly three years ago, she wanted to get to know the customers and the local community and to build a rapport and self esteem with the staff.
“I’d been thinking about what pharmacy meant. Historically it was all about the community. I wanted to restore some of that good old-fashioned community feel,” Debbie says.
She felt there needed to be more to it.
“We needed to start helping people in the community.”
Debbie didn’t take long to get the ball rolling. Within a few months, one customer needed $120,000 for her daughter’s surgery in the United States.
“Before you knew what was happening, we did a whole community fundraising event,” Debbie says.
Evening events, raffles and buckets at many Marewa shops raised $6000. “It was such an amazing community event — it just snowballed from there.”
Debbie says in the early days, they would try and think what their next cause and event could be.
“Now people come to us,” she says.
It seems nothing much is off the table when it comes to getting people together for a good cause, including the purchase of $500 worth of jackets and gumboots which were donated to Birthright.
“We have a saying here — we have to give to receive.”
Mothers of children who have had cancer were treated to a Tarts at Twilight evening, pampered with a night of bubbles and nibbles.
“The staff came in on their own time — it was a free night out. This is what pharmacy was all about going back.”
Debbie describes pharmacy manager Hamish Pankhurst as like an old school community pharmacist.
“We work so well together. If you put people first, it comes back to you.”
Inner Health and Beauty events are a free pay back to customers and a Ladies Night Out with the Magpies is firmly on the calendar. A signed Magpies jersey will be raffled, with the proceeds donated to the Breast Cancer Foundation.
“These things happen for a reason — it’s so rewarding. The friends we have made and the loyal customers — that’s enough. I’m a firm believer that you have to treat people how you want to be treated.”
■ Ladies Night Out with the Magpies, Wednesday, September 26, McLean Park, Magpies versus Northland, $80. Package worth more than $230 includes entry into the marquee at the game, all the alcohol, a makeover voucher valued at $60, a Revlon gift valued at $45 and a facial voucher and skin consult valued at $62. For tickets call into Marewa Pharmacy at 126-128 Kennedy Rd, Napier.