Peace River residents can get ready for the annual Passport to Christmas, set to make its reappearance to help promote local businesses.
“The Passport to Christmas is to encourage shoppers to shop locally,” says Peace River Chamber of Commerce executive director Ramona Thoma.
“People tend to increase their spending around the holidays and keeping their dollars local helps support our town and local businesses,” she adds.
The initiative promotes residents shopping within the community and receiving stamps at the various businesses they shop at from Nov. 1 until Dec. 16.
“Last year, we had 77 participating businesses including businesses from Nampa, St. Isidore, Peace River and Grimshaw,” says Thoma.
“Shoppers can start collecting stamps on Nov. 1.”
Thoma explains shoppers can get blank passports from any participating business.
“They receive one stamp just for entering a participating business and then one stamp for every $10 spent at a participating business (up to 20 filled passports per purchase),” Thoma says. “All filled passports are entered to win the early bird draw or grand prize.”
Thoma says local businesses should participate in the endeavour because it encourages shoppers to shop local and help spread Christmas cheer by giving their customers the chance to win cash to spend at the participating businesses.
“It encourages customers to shop locally keeping their dollars local instead of spending at larger retailers or online by giving them one chance to win one of two shopping sprees,” she says.
Keep an eye out at participating businesses in upcoming weeks for the Passport to Christmas passports.
Early Bird Draw will take place on Nov. 24 with $500 up for grabs, and on Dec. 20 the Grand Prize draw of $2,500 will be held.
By Emily Plihal, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Original Published on Oct 18, 2023 at 10:30
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