Couple’s car winning ‘‘myth’’ undented
Not even the dent in their brand new car could dampen the excitement of winning for a lucky Pines Beach couple.
Lorna Shearing and partner Jim Gaul never expected to win; Gaul said he had never won a meat raffle, let alone a brand new Holden Spark from the Kaiapoi New World.
‘‘I didn’t think anyone actually won cars, I thought it was all a myth, but it does actually happen,’’ Shearing said.
Kaiapoi New World owner Jacqueline Palmer said she was glad the car went to a local instead of someone who was just passing through. But the brand new car had already received some attention from other customers, one of whom backed into the prize in their four-wheel-drive on Monday.
Palmer said she saw what happened when the customer didn’t see the prize behind them.
‘‘[It was] just a small knock on the door, nothing major so that’s good. But it’s all covered by insurance, so it will all be fixed.’’
Shearing and Gaul will be able to book it in to any panel beaters whenever they like under the insurance claim.
The couple said that although it was a ‘‘bit rough’’ having a dent in their new car, the main thing was that nobody had been hurt.
New World’s Biggest Car Giveaway competition gave away a car from every store in the country to a randomly selected One Card user, with cars supplied by Holden New Zealand.
Blackwells Holden City sales- man Brendon Western came to Kaiapoi to hand Shearing and Gaul the keys on Tuesday afternoon.
The giveaway was a happy final note for Palmer and her husband Andrew, who are selling Kaiapoi New World after 13 years and moving on to spend more time with family.
‘‘After all this time we will be happy to have ‘‘us’’ time ... and actually enjoy doing the things with our family and friends instead of it always being rush rush rush.’’