Merrilyn wins $1,000 shopping spree: signing up new NSWNA members won Merrilyn Pepper a $1,000 shopping spree

Lamp, The, July, 2008

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

With a $1,000 Coles Myer voucher in hand, Merrilyn Pepper intends to buy 'nothing that's necessary' with the prize she won in the Shop Til You Drop February Lamp recruitment campaign.

Merrilyn, who is a Cooma Hospital Gwen graduated in 1966 RN, won the competition after recruiting new members to the NSWNA during February this year, putting her into the draw to win a voucher that can be spent at any Coles Myer store.

'I've been with the NSWNA a long, long time--probably 30-something years,' said Merrilyn. 'I wouldn't be without my membership because you never know when you're going to need it.'

Merrilyn's passion for nursing may be genetic, as her daughter also is a nurse at Mona Vale Hospital. 'It's a great profession and I love it, and my daughter loves it.'

Like many country nurses, Merrilyn is multi-disciplinary, but her daughter was attracted to the fast-pace of the ED. 'It was her own decision to become a nurse, and I told her she'd never be unemployed in this career.'

Living in the Snowy Mountains in the small town of Jindabyne, Merrilyn is planning to spend her prize by meeting her daughter in Canberra for a day to shop til they drop. They'll use the windfall to buy some little luxuries, 'Maybe some nice clothes, and some luggage. My daughter is planning on going travelling so she needs some suitcases--but it's a prize, and it was unexpected so we're definitely going to have fun spending it.'