Happy customer: William Beatton was the winner of the $1000 Shop Local and Win prize. Photo: Aidan Briggs
Photo by
Aidan Briggs
William Beatton didn’t imagine that picking up his mum’s lay-by order would result in a $1000 prize.
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Mr Beatton went to Guys & Girls on Anstruther St, Echuca to pay for half of the clothing his mum had put on lay-by.
On Wednesday, April 17 he received a call from the Riv to tell him he won a $1000 voucher to the participating stores.
“It really shocked me when they rang me up,” Mr Beatton said.
“I went to Guys & Girls ... signed the piece of paper and it went in.
“(The Riv) said ‘congratulations, you’ve won a $1000 gift card!’
“Mum said the same thing, ‘congratulations’.”
Mr Beatton was working at UPbicycle when he found out. UPbicycle is a day program by Vivid that supports people with disabilities to develop new skills by restoring bikes.
2022 Vivid UPbicycle team members: (from left) Victor Leris, Nathan Dri, Dennis Eastham, and Vivid staff members Darcey Swalling, Shae Honan, Nathanael Smith, Kylie Liebmann, Finlay Duffy, and UPbicycle team members Oliver Smith, Michael Williams, Jess Olle and Stephen Rees. Photo: Supplied
He has been working there for a few years, helping fix up bikes twice a week. On other days he is part of the Vivid Echuca ‘work crew’.
As for the $1000 voucher, Mr Beatton told us he’d already spent it.
He used it to buy an Apple Watch and AirPods at Switched On Electronics, as well as a new pair of shoes from Evans Shoes.
“It couldn’t have happened to a nicer person,” he said.
“(His friends and the staff at UPbicycle) they said ‘that’s good’ ... they’re happy.”
The Shop Local and Win program encourages residents to shop at participating businesses in the area.
Three winners each week receive $1000, $500, and $250 as a thank you for supporting local.
Some of the participating businesses include Amcal Pharmacy Echuca, Guys & Girls, Paramount Cinema, Fashionably High, The Pear Tree, S&J Furniture, and Boomerang Travel Centre.
In the first week, Rhonda Dargan won $1000 from her purchase at The Pear Tree, Helen Wilson won $500 from her Mary’s Wool Shop purchase and Kay Wearne won $250 from shopping at The Pear Tree.
Week two saw Kristine Egan win $250 from her purchase at S&J Furniture, Jodi Abbott win $500 from her Amcal Pharmacy Echuca purchase, and William won $1000.
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