Not a millionaire but Whangārei grandmother wins $10,000

Rochelle Record, with partner Sharaf Workman (right) and pharmacy owner Dave Lornie (far left) after the draw. Photo / Tania Whyte

Rochelle Record is just as happy having a quiet lunch with friends after winning $10,000 as she would be popping the champagne had she picked out the lucky envelope with $1 million in it.

The odds against the CrossFit enthusiast becoming the country’s newest millionaire was better than winning Lotto first division (3.8 million to one) but was still low at the draw at Life Pharmacy Orrs in central Whangārei.

The 46-year-old was the lucky winner from throughout New Zealand of the Green Cross Health, Unichem and Life Pharmacy Orrs promotion and got an opportunity to pick one envelope out of 100 envelopes that contained $1m.

The rest of the envelopes had $10,000 so she’s guaranteed that much money. Record picked envelope 3 while the $1m cheque was in envelope 76.

She also received a gift hamper.

“I would never have picked number 76. One I had signs for and the other was 17, which has always been my number,” she said.

She slept well the night before and was fine until the morning of the draw when she didn’t have breakfast.

“I got nervous and was like ‘Oh, today is the day’. I wanted to get it over the done with. $10,000 is a massive amount of money.

“I’ll pay off my credit card and leave the rest in the bank for a while because I went to the supermarket last night and the price of food is going up, so I might need money.

Rochelle Record picks one of 100 envelopes during the draw. Photo / Tania Whyte

Her partner, Sharaf Workman, said at the end of the day, they couldn’t be more appreciative of the $10,000 prizemoney.

“There’s one in a hundred chances and if we get it, we get it, if we don’t, we don’t. I am not a gambling man myself. If I won $1m, I’d do good with it by giving off the money. We are not that money-driven, we try and be happy with what we’ve got. Ten grand is always amazing.”

Pharmacy owner Dave Lornie said the promotion was a great event and the draw drove a number of people into town and into the store, and that was good.

“It’s just such a positive thing for Whangārei in amongst a period of challenge between weather events and the Abbey Caves tragedy,” he said.