Jingle Bell Sweepstakes to give away $16,000 in Stillwater

by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services Comments 0
Published: November 6, 2009

STILLWATER — The season could be a little — or a lot — brighter for area residents who Christmas shop in Stillwater.

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Area merchants will begin handing out tickets Saturday for the Jingle Bell Sweepstakes and will do so through Dec. 11. A grand prize of $10,000, along with four $1,000 prizes, will be given away Dec. 12 at Pioneer Stadium.

"The big idea is to reward people in Stillwater for shopping locally,” Belk Manager Jason Teagle said. He is a member of the Chamber of Commerce retail committee that has been planning for the Jingle Bell Sweepstakes since about January.

"The whole point behind it is to keep money local, local dollars spent locally,” Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Executive Assistant Lyndsey Heard said, adding that in addition to helping local businesses, the promotion will also help generate more sales taxes.

Those sales taxes help the city provide a lot of services to city residents, Leonard Jewelry owner Kent Kinzie said.

"Really it all boils down to trying to get people to stay in Stillwater to shop,” he said, explaining why Leonard Jewelry is participating in Jingle Bell Sweepstakes.

The Chamber’s retail committee decided to go ahead with the project after talking to merchants in Sapulpa and Enid, where such promotions have been successful, committee member Collett Campbell said. Sapulpa merchants said their promotion made a difference in sales and brought back people who had been shopping in Tulsa, she added.

About 50 businesses have joined the effort.

Another drawing for $2,000 will be conducted Dec. 14 on TV31’s morning show at 7 a.m.