Hollie in the sky-high with diamonds

By Taylah Baker

Jan 5, 2023

**Prize:** Stephens Jewellers owner Stephen Schneider, winner Hollie Purton and Greater Shepparton City Council partnerships and marketing co-ordinator Liz Connick. Photo by Rechelle Zammit

Greater Shepparton Great Christmas Guide 2022 winner Hollie Purton has taken home the major prize and made pink diamonds a girl’s best friend.

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Launched by Greater Shepparton City Council, the local gift guide was an initiative to encourage and connect shoppers to local businesses over the Christmas period.

The Christmas gift guide website allowed users to create a shopping list to automatically go into the draw to win the major prize of a pink diamond earring and pendant set valued at $6000.

Stephens Jewellers owner Stephen Schneider drew the winner on Christmas Eve morning at the Christmas Hub.

But it wasn’t until the afternoon that Ms Purton woke after a night shift to the unbelievable news.

“I was still half asleep when I heard the message, and then I looked on Facebook, saw the post and thought, ‘I couldn’t have won that’,” she said.

“What a thing to wake up to!”

Council partnerships and marketing co-ordinator Liz Connick called Ms Purton a “worthy winner”.

Ms Purton has been an active member of the community health space and worked in the family violence sector for the past two years.

She said she felt incredibly lucky to win the rare pink diamonds and looked forward to passing them on to her daughter when she was older.

Council will be evaluating the campaign next week and getting feedback from businesses.

Mr Schneider said Stephens Jewellers being the major sponsor of the Christmas guide was a fantastic opportunity.

“It created a lot of enthusiasm with not just the customers, but also the businesses involved,” he said.

“It was a very inclusive promotion that really helped bring the spirit of Christmas in the community.”

Ms Connick called the campaign a “success on so many different levels” and said more businesses had expressed interest in getting involved next Christmas.

“I don’t think we’ll get away with not doing it again!” she said.