The impulse buy that changed one family’s lives forever

Who would imagine that a last-minute impulse purchase could completely alter the course of your life? But that’s exactly what did happen for Maz and her family from Brisbane.

“I actually bought the tickets three hours before the draw closed,” explains Maz, winner of Endeavour Foundation’s $1.2 million Maroochy River Prize Home.

If it wasn’t for a timely reminder, Maz, a long-time supporter of the Endeavour Foundation, would have missed the draw altogether.

“I used to have the regular subscription and then there was some time there where I stopped working and we stopped buying tickets for a while.

“I’d not long started back at work and it just appeared in my news feed – you know, ‘Today is your last chance.’

“As soon as I saw it, I thought, it’s about time I resubscribed again”.

For Maz, the home’s central Sunshine Coast position was added incentive to be in the draw.

“It was in the back of my mind that we always wanted to move up here, and it was in the right location, so I thought I’d buy a book of 10 tickets, and then I didn’t really give it any more thought.” she said.

When the Prize Home lottery was drawn a week later, Maz was at a work function and missed the all-important call from Lotteries Manager, Kirsty Moore, to break the news that she’d won.

“When I saw all the missed calls and listened to the message to call Endeavour, I actually thought it might have been that my card didn’t process, so it was a very welcome surprise!”

“Definitely when I got the phone call I asked, “Is this a joke, is somebody pranking me?” she said.

“It soon became clear that it was legitimate, but it wasn’t until we were here and walked around the house that we gave ourselves permission to get really excited.”

For Maz, her husband Dave and two children, winning their dream Sunshine Coast home was a ‘surreal’ experience.

“It was really only a week between getting the phone call and being handed the keys to a new house, so I think we were still processing it at the time.”

Luckily family and friends were on hand to help ‘make it real’ including Maz’s Mum and Dad who travelled over 1,500kms to share in the celebrations.

“My parents, who live in far north Queensland, packed up their caravan and drove down immediately so that they could be here for the handover – they literally pulled up about half an hour after,” Maz said.

“They were just so excited for us and they wanted to come down and see it for themselves and share the joy with us.”

For Maz and her family, the Maroochy River dream home is in the perfect location.

“We absolutely love living on the Sunny Coast,” Maz said.

“It was always the plan to move here eventually, so it was like it was meant to be. If it was anywhere else we might have rented it out or sold it perhaps, but this is absolutely a live-in dream home.”

“Maroochy River is very central – we are smack bang in between Noosa and Maroochydore and just minutes from Coolum Beach, Yandina and Eumundi.

“We love the beach and Coolum is definitely right up there as one of our favourites, we love going down there and taking the dogs.”

With a high, hillside position, the architecturally-designed home boasts stunning 180-degree views overlooking the Maroochy River, meandering its way through the valley below.

“You can see the ocean and the river from just about every room in the house – it is absolutely spectacular,” said Maz.

“The other day I was looking out the window watching the fog roll across the river then lift up into the sky – it looked amazing.

“Whether it’s sunset or sunrise, middle of the day, foggy, rainy, the views – they’re everchanging but always spectacular. It’s really grounding as well. You feel very tranquil and peaceful out here away from the hustle and bustle of the city. It’s a really beautiful location.”

It’s the home’s finishing touches, from the Eames-era timber furniture to the original artworks, that have helped to make Maz and her family feel at home so quickly as they start to settle into the home.

“We’re slowly moving everything across, everything that we want to bring across that is, seeing as it’s already furnished and it’s definitely to our taste,” Maz said. “We love the colour schemes and the furniture. It’s absolutely gorgeous.”

After receiving the keys, the Brisbane-based family headed up the coast to their Maroochy River home every chance they could get, however they soon made the move permanent.

“We had been driving back and forth every weekend for months and it was getting harder and harder to leave on a Sunday night!” Maz said.

“We moved up during the school holidays and are absolutely loving the tree/sea change.”

While obviously winning is an incredible bonus, for Maz and Dave, their reason for supporting the Endeavour Foundation goes a little deeper.

“You buy a ticket in something like Endeavour and you know that win or not, the money is going toward helping wonderful people. It’s just a really admirable cause. To actually win was an absolutely delightful surprise – unimaginable.”

The family’s own personal experiences have given Maz an acute understanding of how organisations like the Endeavour Foundation make a difference in the lives of people with disabilities.

“We’ve received disabilities support services before, and the wonderful work wouldn’t have been possible without funding outside the government.

So, I think, for us, Endeavour represented another organisation that was doing this work, building accessible homes and supporting employment for people with disabilities.”

“We’re impressed with the inclusiveness as well – everyone has something different to contribute,” she added.

Maz is now doing her bit to help spread the word about the work Endeavour does and how anyone can help make a difference.

“I am pretty sure I have got quite a few family and friends to become Star Supporters as well,” she said.

“Most people have never met someone who has won a prize home, but real people really do win and it’s a super-worthy cause. We are happy to be lifetime supporters!

“We are just so grateful for the work that you do but also for changing our life with this gift – we couldn’t feel more blessed and grateful.

“Not to have to worry about paying a mortgage again is just absolutely life-changing for us and for the kids.

“Something like this you would never expect to happen. It’s just that one in a million chance.”

Becoming a Star Supporter is a win/win

If you’re interested in supporting the work that the Endeavour Foundation does for people with intellectual disability, becoming a Star Supporter like Maz (and her family) could be just the ticket.

Not only will you be automatically entered into the draw for seven prize home lotteries throughout the year, but you will also be in the draw to win five Ultimate Life Changer Lotteries (valued at $500,000 each), not to mention seven Early Bird Cash draws.

Plus, as a Star Supporter you will also receive exclusive entry into 4 Luxury Car Draws, two bonus $10,000 Cash Draws and, last but not least, the very festive $10,000 Christmas Cash Draw.

Of course, along with all of those chances to win, you will also be helping to provide opportunities for people with an intellectual disability.

That’s a win/win for everyone. Find out more about becoming a Star Supporter.

Entering the draw can be life-changing in more ways than one

When you purchase lottery tickets from Endeavour Foundation, you help to provide opportunities for people with an intellectual disability to learn life skills, live independently, have a job they love, and be actively involved in their local communities. Find out more about how Endeavour Foundation is helping people with disability to imagine what’s possible.