News Items - Greater Marion Area Chamber of Commerce
Shop Southern Illinois program is underway!
Seventeen area Chambers of Commerce along with several regional businesses have teamed up this holiday season in an effort to encourage Southern Illinoisans to do a majority of their holiday shopping in the region, rather than traveling out of the area or shopping online.


             Seventeen area Chambers of Commerce along with several regional businesses have teamed up this holiday season in an effort to encourage Southern Illinoisans to do a majority of their holiday shopping in the region, rather than traveling out of the area or shopping online.
            The effort, called “Shop Southern Illinois,” features a website, www.shopsouthernillinois.com, where residents can learn some of the reasons it is important for Southern Illinoisans to shop locally and where they may take an online pledge to do most of their own holiday shopping in the region. By making the pledge, participants are entered in weekly drawings to win prizes including:
  • $125 gift certificate from 17th Street Bar & Grill
  • $250 gift certificate from Black Diamond Harley Davidson
  • One dozen donuts a month for a year from Dunkin’ Donuts
  • $250 in Wine Trail Bucks from the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail
  • A grilling package valued at $150 from Paradise Pools and Spas
  • One dozen donuts a month for a year from Krispy Kreme
  • 25 minute massage from Integrated Health of Southern Illinois
  • 3 gift baskets from Kite Hill valued at $88/each
  • Premium package from SIU Athletics
  • Gift basket from Metropolis
  • Two-night stay at Harrah’s
  • 18 holes of golf with cart at Crab Orchard Golf Club and Christmas Wreath from Hometown Flowers & More in Carterville
  • 18 holes of golf with cart at Crab Orchard Golf Club, $25 gift certificate to Paw Prints Sportswear & Spunk in Carterville and small sub tray that feeds 5 from Carterville Quiznos
  • Use of a Southern Illinois Miners Suite during 2016 season
  • More than $400 in gift certificates from Nashville-area businesses and 4 vouchers for the Gateway Grizzlies
         There are also three grand prizes this year:
  • A complete living room of new carpeting including pad and professional installation from Ground FX Flooring
  • A year’s supply of Pepsi from Pepsi MidAmerica
  • A 14kt white gold ½ ct diamond journey pendant from Your Jeweler in Carterville
            There is no cost for the program, and there will be no requirement that shoppers turn in receipts or punch-card programs, etc. Individuals are limited to winning one weekly prize drawing, but everyone making the online pledge and even those who win a weekly prize drawing will be eligible for any one of the three grand prize drawings. Winners will have two weeks after the drawing to claim their prize or the prize will be returned to the Shop Southern Illinois program to draw another winner. Winners will be notified via email and/or phone (depending on what is provided on their pledge form) and will be posted on Shop Southern Illinois’ social media outlets.
            The schedule for the drawings and the prizes will be (but are subject to change):
  • November 20 at 1 p.m.
    • Premium ticket package from SIU Athletics
    • One dozen donuts a month for a year from Krispy Kreme
  • November 27 at 1 p.m.
    • 25 minute massage from Integrated Health of Southern Illinois
    • $125 gift certificate from 17th Street Bar & Grill
  • December 4 at 1 p.m.
    • A grilling package valued at $150 from Paradise Pools and Spas
    • Gift basket from Metropolis
    • 18 holes of golf with cart at Crab Orchard Golf Club and Christmas Wreath from Hometown Flowers & More in Carterville
  • December 11 at 1 p.m.
    • $250 in Wine Trail Bucks from the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail
    • One dozen donuts a month for a year from Dunkin’ Donuts
    • 18 holes of golf with cart at Crab Orchard Golf Club, $25 gift certificate to Paw Prints Sportswear & Spunk in Carterville and small sub tray that feeds 5 from Carterville Quiznos
  • December 18 at 1 p.m.
    • 3 gift baskets from Kite Hill valued at $88/each (drawn separately)
    • Two-night stay at Harrah’s
    • Use of a Southern Illinois Miners Suite during 2016 season
  • December 25 at 1 p.m.
    • $250 gift certificate from Black Diamond Harley Davidson
    • More than $400 in gift certificates from Nashville-area businesses and 4 vouchers for the Gateway Grizzlies
  • January 1 at 1 p.m.
    • A complete living room of new carpeting including pad and professional installation from Ground FX Flooring
    • A year’s supply of Pepsi from Pepsi MidAmerica
    • A 14kt white gold ½ ct diamond journey pendant from Your Jeweler in Carterville
             The website also features a special message from Southern Illinois University Men’s Basketball Coach Barry Hinson, who stresses the importance of shopping locally. Website design and services were donated by Carbondale-based Highline Ideas.
            “Each Chamber has come to the table with amazing ideas and an open mind. We want to educate consumers to shop and buy locally, realizing that a small shift in shopping trends – say 2-3% - can result in millions of dollars in new revenue for area businesses,” said Dalus Ben Avi, Marion Chamber of Commerce Executive Director. “To make this program a success, we need to do what Chambers do best – support local businesses this holiday season and encourage others to do the same! Local business owners are our neighbors and friends, and they deserve our support and our business not only this holiday season, but all year-round. Local businesses hire locally, spend their money locally, contribute to their communities and regions and offer everything we need or want this holiday season and every day of the year.”
            Shop Southern Illinois decals, provided by Wesley’s Custom Graphics and the Illinois Small Business Development Center, are available at participating Chambers of Commerce. Everyone is encouraged to contact their Chamber of Commerce to get a Shop Southern Illinois decal and proudly display it on their vehicle, at their business, or anywhere!
            “It is important for us to continue to invest in our region,” said Ashley Gott, Chairman of the Marion Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and Commercial Loan Officer at Bank of Herrin in Marion. “There are so many great local businesses that can meet the needs of the consumers in the area for their upcoming holiday needs.  Let’s strive to keep the money here and not give it to our neighboring states so we can have a self-sustaining economy here in Southern Illinois.”
            Southern Illinois Chambers sponsoring the effort include Benton/West City, Carbondale, Carmi, Carterville, Chester, DuQuoin, Hamilton County, Herrin, Jefferson County, Marion, Metropolis, Murphysboro, Nashville, Pinckneyville, Saline County, Union County, and West Frankfort.

Published: 11/09/15