Left: Michelle and partner Robert Freeman celebrate the win. GOLD 104’s Dee Dee congratulates Narre Warren resident Michelle Pogni on winning the competition. Dee Dee, Michelle and Grubby with the $50,000 cheque.By Sarah Schwager
A NARRE Warren woman has taken out the latest GOLD 104 competition, winning herself a whopping $50,000.
Michelle Pogni was the shocked winner of the GOLD 104 Service Central Write Your Own Cheque promotion announced last Friday at Federation Square by Grubby and Dee Dee.
Ms Pogni, 40, took the day off work on Friday to go to the draw.
She said she was “absolutely speechless” when they announced her name.
“I was so shocked,” she said.
“I walked down to the desk with my hands over my face.”
Ms Pogni had to get through a few stages to be in the final draw.
After entering the competition in the Herald Sun, she had to be randomly picked and her name announced on the radio. If she responded within 15 minutes she won $104 and went to the final round.
Ms Pogni said so far her year had been full of surprises both good and bad.
Her father had a heart attack on her 40th birthday earlier in the year and had to have a pacemaker inserted. But she said she was glad this surprise was a good one.
“It’s something I will never forget, that’s for sure,” she said.
After being presented with the giant novelty cheque, she said she then had to carry it home on the train.
“I had it wrapped in bubble wrap. People kept trying to read what it said through the bubble wrap,” she laughed.
Ms Pogni said her family and friends were excited about the news. She said her mother heard it on the radio and was hysterical when they talked on the phone.
“Now she’s trying to tell me how to spend it,” she said. “She’s worried I’m going to splash it all.”
Ms Pogni, who works as a storeperson at a factory in Wantirna South, said she was not sure how she would spend the $50,000 but would bank it until she decided.
It would probably be spent on house maintenance and a car service, she said.
