Businesses, Shoppers Wanted To 'CrissCross Kosciusko'
Posted
Daniel Riordan-driordan@timesuniononline.com
A new promotion from the Kosciusko County Visitor's Bureau is geared to increase foot traffic to local businesses and could earn someone $1,000.
"CrissCross Kosciusko" was an idea born out of the idea to bring focus to local businesses and combine the resources of local chambers of commerce and towns.
The idea of the game is that both in- and out-of-county residents will pick up a crossword gameboard.
By going to local businesses, players can pick up letters to fill in their board.
There is no requirement to buy anything when players are in the businesses.
Players who complete a puzzle can hand their completed boards to the Visitor's Bureau and Lake City Bank.
The promotion runs Oct. 15 through Jan. 15.
There is no limit to the amount of boards someone can play.
According to Kosciusko County Visitors Bureau Executive Director Mary Kittrell, the promotion is a nice tie-in to the 3/50 Project.
The 3/50 Project is a program that is designed to encourage shoppers to shop locally and educates consumers on how shopping locally greatly boosts the local economy.
So far businesses in small towns have jumped on the promotion, according to Kitrell.
Leesburg, Mentone, Milford, North Webster, Pierceton, Silver Lake, Syracuse, Warsaw and Winona Lake businesses have jumped on board so far, but Kitrell is looking for more to jump on board.
For a $25 participation fee, businesses will be a part of the promotion and be featured in advertising for the event.
"It's the first year so we don't know what to expect but we're excited about it," said Kitrell.
All of the money received for participating will go back into advertising, said Kitrell.
Businesses are asked to jump on board as soon as possible, but businesses can join up to and right after the promotion starts, however, Kitrell said they may not be featured in the print advertising. They will be featured on a website dedicated to the event that will become active when the promotion starts.
Players can go to www.crisscrosskosciusko.com when the event starts to get updates, print out boards and get information.
The event's main sponsors are Lake City Bank, WRSW 107.3, Willie 103.5 and ESPN Radio 1480.
Radio spots promoting the event also will air.
Local chambers of commerce, including the Warsaw/Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce and Warsaw Community Development Corp. are involved as well.
