This year’s annual ‘Shop Local’ $10,000 giveaway, hosted by the Lamar County Chamber of Commerce and held on Saturday, December 13, was a little different than previous years in that there was more money given away to two different winners.
Whereas, there is usually a $1000 drawing prior to the big giveaway, this year featured a 6 p.m., $5000 drawing, followed by the $10,000 giveaway at 7 p.m.
This year the big winner was Eric Daniel, taking home $10,000, and Steve Jones, whose number (223791) was the first one drawn, won the $5,000 drawing.
Throngs of people crowded the plaza fountain to get within hearing-distance of the calling of the ticket numbers, which were also displayed on large digital displays on each side of the plaza. As in previous years, the entire square was barricaded to accommodate the crowd and traffic. Parking was scarce.
This large crowd and the big money giveaway are results of the chamber’s ‘Shop Local’ campaign, which annually encourages citizens to go to local businesses for their needs — shopping, eating, drinking, services, etc. If you decided to spend money at participating businesses, you were given tickets that entered you into the drawings. The more money you spend, the more tickets you get; the more tickets in the drawing, the better the chances of winning.
Local businesses are important to the community. The more support they have the better. If you missed this year’s chance at winning big money while supporting your hometown businesses, make sure and be on the look out for the ‘Shop Local’ campaign next year.