Colfax Chamber: March Madness begins next week

March Madness is set to hit Colfax businesses next week. The month-long event is meant to encourage shopping locally.

“If you buy something at one of the businesses that has the cards, you get a scratch ticket,” said Colfax Unified Executive Director Valoree Gregory.

A winning scratch ticket, indicated by “win” appearing once the ticket is scratched, can be entered to win $250 worth of gift cards to local businesses at the end of the month.

“If you get a winning ticket, you can bring that down to the Perkins House or have businesses turn it in,” said Gregory.

Tickets that do not win will be indicated by “try again.”

Last year, when the Colfax Chamber of Commerce initiated the March Madness campaign for the first time, a winner was drawn from amongst the winning scratch tickets each week. That format has changed this year. Gregory said that led to a lot of work with businesses having to go to the Perkins House every week to turn the cards in or having to go out herself to several businesses to collect the cards. Additionally, several of the weekly prizes went uncollected.

“We'll just draw at the end, instead of every week,” she said. “One person will win all the gift cards.”

Gregory said the scratch tickets will be delivered to businesses at the end of this week or early next week. She also noted the businesses which will have the scratch tickets will be indicated with a March Madness sticker in the window. A customer must purchase something in order to earn a scratch ticket.

The shopping campaign will continue for the entirety of the month.