Couple defy the odds for a win
Camper van win fulfils a their dream
People in Whanganui do win big, even in New Zealand-wide competitions. Ivan and Julie Hall proved that last month when they made a Black and Decker purchase at Mitre 10 Mega and won a camper van!
“We bought a drop saw from here,” says Julie when we met at Mitre 10 Mega for a story and picture.
Paula Fore from Mitre 10 Mega explains.
“Anyone could buy anything, no matter how big or small, from the Black and Decker range nationwide.”
“For every dollar you spent you got an entry into the competition,” says Julie.
Julie works at Smart Start Childcare Centre in Parsons St and has already taken the camper van to show the kids.
The new Ford Transit custom vehicle comes complete with solar power, stand-alone awning, toilet, outside hot and cold water shower attachment and a lot more.
There’s a lot of wood in the van’s lining and furniture.
“All the timber came out of a church in Cambridge,” says Ivan. “It was on our bucket list to buy one of these because I retire in four years.” Ivan and Julie want to do some travelling around New Zealand.
“We still can’t really believe we’ve won it,” says Julie. “It’s been our dream to have a camper. There’s no way we’d part with it.”
“It’s cool that you’ve kept it,” says Hayden Gibson, Mitre 10 Mega Wanganui store owner. “It’s good to see someone local win something like this.”
A wall-mounted TV comes with it.
“It was an unreal feeling when we got the phone call to say we’d won it,” says Julie.
“We got the call from Fiona from Black and Decker Australia,” says Ivan. “I didn’t believe her, of course. There were just over 1000 entrants which gave them 125,000 tickets in the competition.
“We picked it up in Hamilton and came back through Rotorua, Taupo¯ , to Napier and then came home. We went up on Wednesday and got back on Saturday.”