Find the Grinch contest encourages public to shop local

AZTEC, N.M. — For a few weeks now, Christy Clugston has been painting the Grinch on windows in businesses across town.

“I wanted to paint the windows because I am really big with community, and I proposed that we could do the same theme, which is Whoville, that way we’re all doing the same thing," Clugston said, the owner of Inspire Heart Art. "We’re hiding Grinches in all the windows that families can come see."

The Grinches are all part of a special holiday hunt. With the help of Clugston’s festive art, the Aztec Chamber of Commerce and participating businesses – a Find The Grinch contest is beginning.

“You find the Grinch, you can get that business to validate your card and then you turn it in," said Debbie Klein, vice president of the Aztec Chamber of Commerce. "Out of 20 businesses, we’re asking for 10 validations, so you don’t have to go to all 20. You can either leave it with the last business where you got the 10th one, or we will have a box on Main and Chaco."

This will be an entry to the contest where the winner can win products from all of the participating businesses. The winner will be announced during the Aztec Sparkles parade on Dec. 11. Officials hope this can help promote shopping local during the holidays.

“It gets people to come into a business that they might walk by and not come in, because you have to get the card validated," Klein said. "And then the winner, the lucky winner, will have a reason to come back to those businesses because they’ll have certificates or merchandise or products from those businesses."

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