Albany Bucks tickets already being given
By Sandy Walker
The holiday season is officially underway under the coordination of the Albany Chamber of Commerce.
Albany Bucks
Shoppers can start earning tickets for Albany Bucks by shopping at any downtown or locally owned merchant. Every $10 spent in a local, non-chain business earns the shopper one ticket.
Tickets also can be purchased at the Chamber office for $5 each.
Tickets can be dropped into entry boxes until 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 28. Boxes will be picked up at 3:00 p.m. with the first drawing for Albany Bucks at 3:30 p.m.
Additional drawings will be at 4:00 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. for different amounts of Albany Bucks. Albany Bucks can be spent at any local participating merchant, including Prairie Star.
Lighted
Christmas Parade
Signups have begun for the annual lighted Christmas parade scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 28.
Participants will need to line up at First Baptist Church by 5:00 p.m. and the parade will start at dark.
Call Ragan Riley at 214-663-3271 or Mary Beth Jones, Albany Chamber of Commerce manager, to register for the parade.
Since the parade is held in the dark, participants are reminded to make sure their floats are well lit.
Memorial Ornaments
Residents are encouraged to come by the Chamber office and purchase a personalized ornament for the Shackelford County Memorial Tree.
The cost of each ornament is $5, and the name of the person to be memorialized will be placed on it before the ornament is hung on the Christmas tree.
This is the third annual memorial Christmas tree, and it will be placed in the gazebo on the Courthouse lawn this year.
The tree will be lit and will display all memorial ornaments during the holiday season.
Memorial ornaments will also be available for purchase during the parade.
Ornaments may be removed and taken home after Jan 1.
BBQ Sandwiches
A new offering during the parade this year will be barbecue sandwiches.
“To Go” barbecue sandwich meals will be available for open donations with all proceeds benefitting Toys for Tots.
S.Sgt. Doug Beaty, Toys for Tots coordinator, will work with the Albany High School National Honor Society to provide a chopped barbecue sandwich, chips, and bottled water.
Movie and Music
The Aztec of Albany and the Chamber have made arrangements for children, ages four and up, to have an entertaining afternoon.
A Christmas theme movie will be shown from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. with free popcorn and water courtesy of the Aztec committee.
Local group “The Fiddlers” will perform following the movie at 4:00 p.m.
Decorating Contest
Bring out the lights and garland and get ready to decorate, not only inside, but outside, for the holidays.
The Chamber is sponsoring a Holiday House Decorating Contest awarding a prize for the most “Beautiful” home and the most “Creative” home.
Participants can sign up for the contest at the Chamber office and the winner will be announced on the Chamber Facebook page on Dec. 15.
Santa Claus
No Christmas parade would be complete without an appearance by jolly old St. Nicholas.
Santa will be available for all the good little boys and girls to tell him what they want for Christmas.
Pictures with Santa will begin at 4:00 p.m. on the day of the parade.
