Bluffton downtown merchants drew the first round of winners in this fall’s 3/50 Project drawing.

Winners and the three Bluffton merchants each visited follow:

• Jenny Roby – Curling Iron, Greg’s Pharmacy, The Black Lab
• Norma Rader – Family Eye Care Clinic, The Dough Hook, Greg’s Pharmacy
• Linda Marie Core – Polished, First National Bank, Community Market

Each winner receives a selection of prizes valued at from $50 to $60 from Bluffton businesses that participate in the promotion. 

Earlier this fall 2,600 Bluffton postal customers received a postcard inviting them to shop locally – specifically, shop Bluffton.

The postcard promotes the 3/50 Project. Its purpose is to make residents aware of a Bluffton merchants and Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce major fall promotion.

The promotion centers on a concept titled “3/50 Project.” The nationwide project carries the tagline: “Save your local economy three stores at a time.”

The promotion encourages persons to pick three locally independent businesses and spend $50 each month between the three.

According to Aphaphanh Nussbaum and Julie Stratton, who have helped create the Bluffton effort: “The idea is to commit $50 each month to locally-owned businesses, which will also help restart the local economy.”

“Maybe that means rethinking where you currently invest your money, opting to pick up that birthday card or gift in an independently-owned business instead of a chain store.
You may find a new favorite restaurant or shop and spending more than $50 a month will even have a greater impact. It’s just that simple,” they said.

To make the Bluffton 3/50 effort more enticing all shoppers who participate will be entered into a drawing for prizes.

Persons may enter as many times as they wish. Three winners will be drawn monthly for October, November and December. Participants in the drawing may obtain entry forms and details from the following businesses to be considered in the monthly drawings:

Here’s a list of the prize donors during this fall’s three-month promotion:

Black Lab
Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce
Book ReViews
Community Markets
Curling Iron
Diller’s Flooring
Et Cetera Shop
Fortman Insurance
Greg’s Pharmacy
Hair Emporium
Jeanne’s Kitchen
Panache
Polished Nail & Body Salon
Senior Citizens
Ten Thousand Villages
Town & Country Flowers