Chamber has various 'fun' activities planned for December

The month of December is a festive time of year, and the Kimball-Banner Chamber of Commerce and its members have some contests planned to keep everyone on their toes this holiday season.

The chamber has a couple fun and creative ideas for getting people to browse local chamber businesses.

The ‘Hidden Gingerbread Man’ is a returning contest, in which anyone can participate. Participating chamber members will have a sign in their window notifying the public that they are participants in the Hidden Gingerbread Man Contest. Within the participating stores is a hidden gingerbread man. Upon finding the gingerbread man, participants may put their name in a drawing to win $100 ‘Chamber Bucks.’ The gingerbread man will move around in order to keep people on their toes. On Dec. 19, a name will be drawn and someone will be the lucky winner of $100 ‘Chamber Bucks.’

‘Nutcracker Nick’ is another scavenger hunt activity. Every week, Nutcracker Nick will be hidden within a store. Every day that week a picture of Nick will be taken somewhere in the store he is hidden in, and anyone can guess where he is. The picture will be sent out with a chamber e-mail, and for those who do not have e-mail, the picture will be posted on the chamber’s door. If a person guesses correctly, their name will be put in a drawing to win $25 Chamber Bucks at the end of the week. Every Monday, Nick will visit a new business, and every Friday, someone will be the fortunate recipient of $25 Chamber Bucks.

The chamber also has something in store for those big on decorating their homes for the Christmas season. Anyone can be nominated for their light display this winter and a weekly winner will be selected. This winner will receive $10 in Chamber Bucks.

The chamber is working hard to get more traffic in local stores and wants the community to be aware of what its members have to offer, said Jennifer Provance, president of the chamber board of directors.

“We hope that these are fun activities that people will participate in and, in turn, bring more traffic through the local stores so people can see what they have to offer,” Provance said.

Provance said there is a need to shop local.

“One thing I really want to stress to the community is to shop local businesses this holiday season. We really want to see our local stores busy,” she said.

If anyone has questions about the contests, rules, or who is actually participating, stop by the chamber office.