Surf City residents wins a new car

-- Kenneth Ma

Jill Hall is a happy woman these days.

Last week, Hall, a recent graduate in nursing from Golden West

College, received a new $32,000 BMW Z.3 convertible Roadster -- for free.

“I couldn’t believe it,” she said. “I thought it was a scam because

real people don’t win cars.”

Hall, 38, a registered pediatric nurse, entered a drawing sponsored by

MiracleWorkers.com at the National Student Nurses’ annual convention in

Salt Lake City in April. The Internet company specializes in recruiting

for the health care industry.

“I never actually expected to win the car,” she said. “I am very

grateful to MiracleWorkers.com for this wonderful prize.”

Hall was one of about 10,000 contestants who entered, said Alyson

Gondek, spokeswoman for the Atlanta-based Internet company.

“We’re thrilled to have someone like Jill to have won it,” she said.

“She is brand new to the profession and has started her career on such a

high note.”

However, Hall does have to pay taxes on her prize -- about $8,000 in

income tax.

Hall works at Memorial Miller Children’s Hospital in Long Beach. She

lives in Huntington Beach with her husband and two teenage daughters.