By April Rodgers | FreeWire Your News Your Voice
Crawford County’s newest holiday tradition officially arrived this week as the Crawford County Chamber rolled out its first ever Holiday Passport Program. The initiative, which runs from November 17 through December 19, encourages residents to shop local, explore small businesses across the county, and earn chances to win a major holiday prize package.
Designed to boost local spending during the busiest retail season of the year, the passport program offers shoppers a simple, community friendly way to support hometown businesses while entering a drawing for dozens of prizes. The grand prize is a $1,000 local shopping spree, donated by First Federal Community Bank.
A limited number of passport booklets are available at participating Chamber businesses, and once they’re gone, they won’t be replenished. Each booklet contains spaces for stamps that shoppers collect as they visit local establishments throughout Bucyrus, Galion, and Crestline.
Participants receive one entry for every stamp earned. Every five stamps unlocks 20 bonus entries, and completing the entire passport earns a hefty 100 entry bonus. Donations to local drives including the Humane Society Serving Crawford County, the Galion Kiwanis Toy Drive, and the Bucyrus Fire Local 1120 Toy Drive add 50 bonus entries each. Those who wish to enter without making a purchase may call the Chamber for a single entry.
The grand prize winner will choose five $200 gift cards from any of the participating Chamber businesses. Additional prizes have also been donated by merchants countywide.
Passport pickup locations include an expansive list of Crawford County favorites:
- Bucyrus: The Pickwick Place, Crossroads Candles, Cooper’s Mill, Arrogant Goat, Scapes by Sarah, Old 30 BBQ, Baker’s Pizza, Center Street Meats, Crawford County Art Center, Norton’s Flowers
- Crestline: Checker’s Pizza, Kork & Kap, Rolling Bean
- Galion: Granny’s Kitchen, RavensCloak Reiki & Treasures, HR Wolf Hardware, Flower Cart Florist, Three Bean Coffee, Phil’s Deli, Pub House 123, Ole Dogs Coffee Culture, Rus-Men Farms
Passports must be returned by noon on December 19 to either Chamber location: 138 Harding Way West in Galion or 117 East Mansfield Street in Bucyrus.
Local sponsors that helped bring the new program to life.
- First Federal Community Bank serves as the title sponsor, contributing the $1,000 shopping spree.
Event supporters include
- The Pickwick Place
- Pub House 123
- Spencer’s Tree & Landscape Solutions
- Ole Dog’s Coffee Culture,
- Bucyrus Tourism & Visitors Bureau.
- The Herald Inc. provided printing services
- A-1 Printing supplied the stamps used in each booklet.
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