Everything set for $10,000 Giveaway
Dec. 19—Lots of local and area residents have 10,000 reasons to be in downtown McAlester on Thursday night.
That's when organizers plan to have everything is ready to commence with the drawing for the $10,000 Giveaway. It's set for 7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 21, along Choctaw Avenue in downtown McAlester.
Excitement is already building.
Volunteer Lori Few, who is executive director of the Miss McAlester Pageant, plans to be downtown for the event, with Miss McAlester Hensley Kidd and Miss McAlester Teen Sophie Eaton expected to be on-hand to help with the drawings.
"It's always fun," Few said. "The community always comes out and supports it. It doesn't matter how hot or cold it is."
McAlester Mayor John Browne is among those who's helped with previous $10,000 Giveaways.
"It's fantastic," Browne said of the event. He noted it helps McAlester merchants see an increase in local shopping.
"Everybody's always in a good mood," Browne said, regardless of the weather.
"I remember one year it was so cold I had on all of the equipment I needed to go skiing," he said.
He said lots of people don't realize the $10,000 Giveaway is put on by a private group. The $10,000 Giveaway is presented by The McAlester Christmas Promotion, a nonprofit organization.
People obtained tickets for the $10,000 Giveaway by shopping at participating businesses, with one ticket given to the shopper and the other remaining with the business.
All of the tickets from the businesses will be placed in a huge hopper Thursday night, with drawings for several smaller prizes prior to the $10,000 cash drawing.
Once a number is drawn, those holding a winning ticket have five minutes to make their way to the downtown stage from the time the ticket number is announced.
To claim the $10,000 or any of the other prizes, winners must be at least 18 years of age with a valid photo ID, with the winning ticket in-hand.
Plans call for the drawing to be livestreamed on the McAlester News-Capital's Facebook page, and the McAlester Christmas Promotion Facebook page, with McAlester Radio broadcasting the drawing live.
More than 80 McAlester businesses participated in this year's event.
Shoppers at participating businesses were to receive one free ticket for going to the business, along with an additional ticket for every $10 the shopper spent, up to a $1,000 limit — although businesses had the option of giving more tickets if they wanted.
