Be sure to get your entries in for the grand prize drawing in our Holidays Cash in the HiIls Contest.

Entry forms can be filled out inside each of the participating businesses. You don’t have to buy anything to enter the contest. But the business owners will certainly like you to at least look around their shops for Christmas gift ideas.

A purchase would be very much appreciated.

Sign up now for the final two weekly drawings on Dec. 8 and 15. Weekly winners get $25 each and also their coupons are put back in the bin for the grand prize drawing.

There are three grand prize winners. Amounts are $500, $300 and $200. The winning names will be drawn on Dec. 15.

All entries deposited from Dec. 9 to noon, Dec.15, will be eligible for the drawing.

For many small businesses, the period from Thanksgiving to Christmas is when they make most of their income.

It’s my opinion that small businesses should promote themselves throughout this period. It’s the old “shoot when the geese are flying” concept.

American Express, the credit card company, came up with a promotion for mom and pop businesses in 2010. It continues today and is called Small Business Saturday. It was held this year on Saturday, Nov. 26. Participating businesses would develop in-store specials that would be offered the Saturday after Thanksgivingand a day after Black Friday. The company used the promotion to encourage usage of their credit cards. However, it was such a big success that it took on a life of its own.

Small Business Saturday now competes with Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Several Fountain Hills businesses participated in the most recent Small Business Saturday.

Last week I thanked my staff for a job well done when I was out of the office so much over the last three months after I fractured a vertebrae in a fall.

Whenever you run a list of people that you are saying thank you to, you have to be extra careful that you don’t leave someone off the list. I guess I forgot that basic rule during my inactivity.

Anyway, Tammie is a great employee.

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Diane and I attended the Stroll in the Glow event the Chamber held on the Avenue of the Fountains last Saturday night.

I almost made it walking the entire way. I really like this event. Lots of families were out and it was cool enough to wear a sweater or jacket and that added to the Christmas feeling.

The merchants seemed to be enjoying themselves as cash registers were ringing up sales.

I wonder if there is a way to expand this event to let more businesses benefit from the turnout.

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I would like to commend the Fountain Hills Youth Theater for sharing the Republic Services $10,000 Rewards Grant with the Fountain Hills Community Garden.

The gesture was well-received at Town Hall the other night. Hats off to the Theater group.