Go Local and Win - Shop in South Lake Tahoe this season and win

Shoppers buying locally in South Lake Tahoe between November 28 and January 1 might be taking home more than a gift for someone on their list this season.

"Go Local and Win" is a campaign by the Tahoe Chamber to encourage people to shop in town and not off the hill. By doing so, not only will they support local businesses, they can also win prizes each week.

Everyone is eligible to play, and win. The rules are simple: 1) Shop at ANY business between November 28 and January 1. 2) Save your receipts and submit a form every Friday during Go Local & Win. You receive a point for every dollar spent and double points for every dollar spent at a chamber member's business. 3) Every form you submit with receipts gets you one step closer to the grand prizes.

The latest campaign information and weekly winners will be posted on the Tahoe Chamber Facebook page.

On Saturdays December 7, 14, 21, 28 and January 4, a weekly winner will be selected based on the total amount spent at a store between Zephyr Cove and Meyers. Two grand prizes will be given to the person who spends the most locally and to the one who enters to most receipts. Purchasing a house is not eligible, but purchasing a car locally is.

"We have tried a lot of different version of this campaign ," explained Shannon Early of the Tahoe Chamber. "Emily (Abernathy, also of the LTSSCC) researched and looked at what was popular at other chambers and thought this campaign would be a great idea."

Shopping locally does more than put money into the store owner's hands. Research shows that spending $100 locally at an independent business generates $68 in economic activity while spending the same amount at a big box store generates about $48. Local shops produce a net annual return of $328 per 1,000 square feet, while that box store generates a net deficit of $468 per 1,000 sq ft. Money spent at a locally owned store generates 3.5 times wealth for the local economy compared to money spent at a chain store.

If every family spent an extra $10 a month at a locally owned, independent store instead of a national chain store, over $9.3B would be directly returned to our economy.

Go Local and Win!

For more information, rules and to submit forms, visit the TahoeChamber website.