Whitecourt Rewards Community Connected Commerce

Use your  Sizzling Summer Shop & Win Card at participating sponsors between July 2nd and August 31st  for your chance to win the Grand Prize Draw of up to $1500 CASH* on September 2nd, 2009.

Plus qualify for plenty of other prize draws, attend local events for extra entry opportunities and qualify for other discounts from participating merchants along the way.

Get your card  at any participating sponsor. starting June 25th to get prepared for a sizzling summer starting July 2nd.

$1000 Grand Prize Draw on September 2nd, 2009

If your name is drawn and you are there in person, you’ll get an extra $500!

photo credit: andrewarchy

I have been intrigued by electrolysis since I found out it existed, back in the nineties when the first stray hairs began to appear on my chin.  However, the descriptions I read of needles and electricity didn’t appeal to me in the least.  The one salon I called back then did not do anything to allay my fears and seemed to concentrate more on describing the long treatment process and commitment required.

So I went about my life and the problem persisted.

It’s an embarrassing problem to have, and one that I have very seldom brought up with my closest friends let alone the general public. As I grow older though, and the barriers between personal and public get increasingly blurred through technology, I find it easier to talk about my flaws.

And having hair growing in places that it is simply not supposed to is one of those flaws.

Visions of freak shows danced through my mind over the years as I waxed, shaved and tweezed the offending invaders. But of course they came back. Over and over, week after week…

I considered laser hair removal, and in fact had one treatment of that. Of course, one treatment is not enough to really do anything but to get the process started and I really didn’t have the funds to commit to the whole treatment cycle.  Plus I wasn’t quite enthralled with having to face the smell of burning hair every few weeks.

So finally, just this past Wednesday I faced the needle…

And it really wasn’t that bad at all!

First of all, the tool that was used didn’t look like a typical needle that you might find at a doctor’s office. That goes a long, long way to getting over the fear of needles thing. It’s not like the typical syringe you might expect at all.

Now, I can’t lie and say the process is painless –but honestly neither is tweezing. It is a bit more invasive than the laser treatment was, but overall it was a more relaxing experience.

And the results…

Well the fact is, this whole process won’t be over for several months. Because of the way our hair cycles through growth, getting rid of pesky hairs forever takes much more than one treatment.

I’m okay with that knowing that Della is in charge of my electrolysis treatments.

I have known Della for about four years now, since I worked at the radio station as her ad representative. I’ve always been impressed with her professionalism and passion for healthy skin. It’s obvious from the way she talks about her work and her customers that her business is not  about looking younger and using cosmetic procedures to achieve some standard of beauty -it’s about enhancing overall well-being, building confidence and being comfortable in your own skin.

Having had a chemical peel from D.R. Electrolysis Clinical Day Spa earlier this year, I knew that Della’s electrolysis treatment would be deeply rooted in science and be focused on achieving the results I want with the utmost safety.

I was right.

Everything about the process was explained clearly so I knew what was going on and though I didn’t quite understand the talk about the chemical process involved, it was reassuring to hear about it. Della checked with me throughout the treatment to make sure I was comfortable with all the poking.

My skin was a bit puffy when I left, but within half an hour it was all back to normal (only hairless).

Now that I know what to expect, my next appointment is not nearly as unsettling as the first one was.

With summer long over, it’s time to revamp the website and get ready for the next community promotion from PK Marketing Solutions.

The hope is to get businesses on board to provide rewards and specials to make shopping locally a lot more fun year round.

So, the site is undergoing a slow transformation as I pound the pavement looking for sponsors by day and play with the website and writing by night.

Stay tuned…

Whew! Finally got all $1900 delivered to the winners this week. Here are a few of the pics I took of them as I dropped off the money orders.

$100 Bonus Draw Winner- Since the Grand Prize Winner was not at the final draw, the $500 set aside as the bonus was distributed in $100 increments by a draw for five names from those who came out to attend on the night of the original draw…

This is Avaleen. She works up at the the hospital here in Whitecourt and plans to either take her husband or her co-workers out to dinner with her winnings.

If you have pets, you might recognize this $100 prize winner…who claimed that he’s not very photogenic before I snapped the pic.

What’s not handsome about a man who cares about animals?   Of course, it’s entirely possible that I am hopelessly biased since we picked up our lovable fuzzy son Rocky up from the Whitecourt Vet Clinic nearly two years ago (even if he is snoring up a storm as I write this)

Had to connect with Christine during the middle of a workout in Curves to distribute her $100 prize.

All the ladies at the gym seemed very excited about the prize. Was a post workout luncheon on the agenda?

This is Holly, another $100 prize winner who ought to be awarded for having one of the most practical plans for her winnings…she’s going to use it to pay off furniture that she found at the amazing sale that The Brick had last week.

photo credit: ?napshot 19

The final $100 winner was unavailable to accept her prize and I was told on the greatest authority from her co-workers that there was no way she would want her photo taken…so Sherrie from Sew Right was saved by my digital snapping…and replaced by this random goofball that I found online.

Because I had to reschedule the draw, I threw in an extra $100 to the pot to award to one of the people that showed up at Out”a Bounds Fitness for the second draw. Only three cardholders showed up, so I awarded the two who didn’t win a couple of gift certificates from Tastebuds. I know they wanted the $1000 (who didn’t?) but they were all great sports about it!

This is Brian, who attended the draw with his wife Charlene and does amazing things with signage up at Trimline Design here in Whitecourt. Mickey Mouse is the most likely recipient of the small windfall as the family heads on a long awaited trip to Disneyland later this year.

You’ve no doubt seen the smiling face of the recipient of the Front Line Staff award at IGA. Considering she won $50 for distributing the most cards during the promotion, chances are she likely the one who signed you up.

Wonder if she is going to spend it on her adorable grand-daughter? Timing is everything and a trip to see Nana may have netted the youngster a special treat since she arrived just in time to see Jackie accept her prize.

The winner of the Front Line Prize Draw for $250 was unavailable for a picture at the time of this post. Erika, the owner of Eejayz had her number drawn from the pile of over 15,000 transactions that were submitted by employees over the course of the Sizzling Summer Shop & Win Campaign. Word is that she was planning to spend it all celebrating her wedding anniversary with her husband. Considering Eejayz is where I have found my absolute favourite sandals ever when she had the blowout sale this summer (Anne Klein’s at half price!!)  – I was kind of tickled pink to be delivering this prize – even if I didn’t get a picture.

And last, but definitely not least is the lucky woman who walked away with the Grand Prize….

Marlene Orton who works at Kammec Mechanical and lives just north of Blue Ridge won the big prize with just 36 entries in the draw.

She was stunned to receive the call because she was sure it was all over weeks ago (next time there won’t be a delay, but if there is I will be sure to work on communicating it better)…

Marlene says she never wins anything and plans to remember the winnings forever by putting the prize towards putting in new laminate flooring in her living room as a reminder of this piece of good luck.

Thank you to everyone who participated! I really, really do wish I had more to giveaway because you all were such a huge part of the success of the Sizzling Summer campaign.

Everyone is asking if I plan to do it again. And the answer is Yes, but with some tweaks and difference that will make the next rounds even better. To stay tuned for the next rendition of my Community Connected Commerce plans, be sure to sign up for Patrysha’s Picks!

Yes, the draw was like 29 minutes ago and I am already back home and at my computer…

The winning number of the Grand Prize Draw was 0334 which belonged to Marlene Orton of Blue Ridge…congrats to Marlene.

Thanks to all three of you (well four, but one was a couple using the same card).

As soon as I get in touch with the bonus draw winners (those will be drawn from the people who showed up at the original draw on September 2nd) – I’ll be back with an official announcement.

It is with great pride that I announce the next local promotion from PK Marketing Solutions.

Sometimes we need a kick in the butt to get active…

And hopefully this promotion will encourage that (not the kick, the getting active part!)

With the help of our sponsors:

I am not quite done with the transactions…but I am ready to announce that the Official Grand Prize Draw has been more than rescheduled…

It’s been pumped up

On September 22nd – the official last day of summer (the equinox) at Out’a Bounds Fitness (on the hill behind the Western Budget)

Not only will we be drawing for the original Grand Prize Draw but there will also be at least two bonus (previously unannounced) draws.  (Bringing the total prize value of the entire promotion past $2000)

I am working on securing more prizing if it’s possible. Sort of a reward for being patient and understanding about the postponement.

For those who can’t be there in person, I am working on some ways to have you be able to tune in through the computer.  So stay tuned and I’ll keep you posted on all the latest.

I will be sending out a note to all the email list subscribers tomorrow morning.

Those who were there already know this, but I thought I’d get the word out to those of you who weren’t able to be there who checked in to see who won.

The draw is delayed until I can get the final bit of work done, cutting up the entry forms.

You see…when I developed this promotion, I expected about 1000 people to sign up for the promotion.

There were a few reasons for that, all of them proven wrong (obviously).

1. Everyone kept telling me how utterly dead Whitecourt is in the summer. Despite the fact that I’ve never actually left on vacation myself over the summer since we moved here, I believed it.
2. I thought the prize value was a bit on the low side to attract a whole lot of interest. Now $1000 is a pretty significant amount to my own family, but seeing that the casino gives away massive prizes what seems like every other weekend, I never imagined that so many people would sign up.
3. Research indicated that about 10% of the population typically participates in local shopping promotions. I knew Whitecourt wasn’t typical but I never imagined the support you all showed by participating and using your card at participating merchants.

And so…I thought I would only be entering the data for the transactions of 1000 people…not 3700.

Until 3:30 today, I thought I could do it…but the race to get the transactions into the computer after picking them up yesterday was not going well…and that left me not enough time to get the pages all printed and cut out so I could complete the physical draw…

So I worked furiously until the final minutes and raced to the park…to let everyone who was counting on me know what the deal was. Sorry for the disappointment  guys, but thanks so much for your support!

Those who did show up are the only ones qualified for the bonus $500. Should the winner turn out to be someone who wasn’t there…the $500 will be distributed to five of those who got on my list by being at Rotary Park in $100 increments

When all the work is complete, I’ll send out an email and post to the website and the social networking sites (Facebook and Twitter) with a time and instructions on how to watch it live…with 48 hours notice)

Let me know what time you’d find it best to log into a computer (all you’ll need is a computer with an internet connection and speakers to watch)

I’d just feel more comfortable doing the draw in front of an audience…it just doesn’t seem right to do it alone

Ughh! I sent out the email but didn’t change the site…sorry about that! I was just alerted to the fact this afternoon.

The draw will be at Rotary Park at 5:50 pm. I will be there at 5:30, but for those of you who like to cut things close…I’ll be drawing at 10 to 6.

That’s on September 2nd…Wednesday

Hope to see you there!

Looking great while your working out might not be a huge priority, but being comfortable should be. Dressing for success in the gym, on the hiking trail, at the pool or on the court means choosing clothes and accessories designed to perform. Clothing that wicks away moisture, retains or expels body heat (depending on the season and the gear) and other “smart” technology can make a huge difference in both your performance and attitude.

Right now, you’ll find a great selection of summer gear priced to move out the door and help you move through your fitness regimen looking and feeling great!

There is always something going on at the Road House Pub & Grill from sensational daily specials to downright amazing deals, so you can drop in anytime to relax with friends or family…whether you are heading to the restaurant or bar.

Here you’ll find all the food specials. There are drink specials every night too, but I have to check the rules and regs before I spill on those, just to be sure I can.

Things get kicked off Mondays with 2 for 1 appetizers from 5pm -10pm. For only $11.99 you get to choose from two of:

• WONTON SHRIMP
• ESCARGOT-STUFFED MUSHROOM CAPS
• MOZZA STICKS
• PORK BITES
• QUESADILLA
• POTATO SKINS
• 1/2 NACHOS
• CALAMARI

On Tuesdays, between 5 and 10 pm you can get not one, but two DONAIRS with an ample side of fries for just $7.99

Wednesday is Wing Night. Come on in between 5 and 10pm and enjoy your choice of sauced and/or spiced wings at only 35 cents a piece. You do have to order a minimum of five…easy peasy – my youngest son could eat twice that in a blink of an eye…

They call Thursday nights  Thirsty Thursdays, but a hungry person can feast on a the delicious Steak Sandwich special for just $7.99. It’s also Fight Night!! Head on down to the Road House Pub and Grill for the Ultimate Fighting action from SPIKE and use your Fight Club Card to get 10% off.

Fridays…well Friday’s are just plain yummy with Shrimp Night. Choose from 3 delicious flavors of no-peel shrimp for just 35c each. There is a minimum order of 10…but as with the wings…who can eat just 10??

On Saturdays, you’ll want to drop in for Prime Rib which comes with full access to the soup and salad bar and Yorkshire Pudding too! They also have meat draws every hour between 3 and 5pm for just $1.00 a ticket (buy your tickets throughout the week from Sunday to Saturday)

Sundays are sensational for families. With a brunch buffet running from 11am -3 pm and kids under 10 eat free from 5pm-9pm (bummer that two of my kids are over the free limit now…but still a bargain)

As a marketer, I know how important feedback is to the promotions I create.

As a consumer, I sometimes have concerns about how my personal information is being stored and used when I provide feedback.

• I don’t want to marketed to unless I give permission.
• I don’t want my personal information being shared with others unless it’s in aggregate form only (compiled as part of a statistical overview) so I can’t be identified.
• I expect my personal data to be protected and not easily accessed.

So this poll worth one extra entry is about your feelings on the privacy and security of your personal data. Do you feel secure sharing your opinions and views through this promotion or do you have concerns?

cforms contact form by delicious:days

This program is just as much about providing value to our customers and saying Thank You for your patronage as it is about promoting local shopping…are you getting a sense of being valued as a consumer and community member through this program?

That’s what this poll, worth one extra entry into the Grand Prize Draw is all about…

cforms contact form by delicious:days

In case you hadn’t noticed, I am working hard in the background trying to come up with information and content that is relevant and interesting to you, the participating customers in this promotion.

So are you getting what you expected?

Are you getting what you are looking for?

This poll is about the content I’ve been adding to the website and sending via email…your opinion is worth 2 extra entries on this one!

cforms contact form by delicious:days

I am (is it any surprise?) an email junkie and I love reading about what is going on via my many online connections…but I am aware that not everyone appreciates a full email box quite the same way I do. So this poll is to gauge whether I am currently emailing at a rate and frequency that is good for you…

Worth one extra entry for your opinion on this one…

cforms contact form by delicious:days

Technology is a wonderful thing…so many incredible things are possible including the customization of the emails and communications you receive. Alas, even with technology such customization and personalization takes time and effort. Being able to do something and having it be worthwhile are two different beasts. So this one extra entry poll asks a pretty simple question to gauge whether the extra effort would be something you are interested in.

After all, if the system as it exists right now is working for you, who am I to go get all hepped up on changing it if it really doesn’t make a difference to you and your enjoyment and participation in it. (Especially if it turns out that the program continues beyond the first Grand Prize Draw…)

So the big question is … If you could only receive email communications about the merchants you already buy from and not have to wade through the others unless you request information from them, would that be something that would interest you?

cforms contact form by delicious:days

This is a big one worth 5 extra entries because I’d really like to know a bit more about the brides of Whitecourt. Answer the following poll if you are planning a wedding in the next 18 months or have had one in the last 12 months.

cforms contact form by delicious:days

Building a community takes time and effort and lots and lots of volunteers and contributors…are you one? This poll is worth 3 extra entries into the Grand Prize draw.

cforms contact form by delicious:days

I have been having a blast over the past three weeks in managing the Whitecourt Sizzling Summer Shop & Win promotion, and I hope you have been to. I am seriously considering rolling the promotion over into a year round, ongoing feature with similar prizing every 8-12 weeks (2 to 3 months). But is that you want? Answer the poll below to earn one extra entry into the Grand Prize draw and help me decide!

cforms contact form by delicious:days

Two of my sons are on the way home from there as I begin to write this post, and that ultimately is why I love Anything & Everything because they love it.

I know they are on their way home, because if they are not being picked up by a parent…Tim (owner) has a policy that they must call home before leaving. I appreciate that.

Anything & Everything is a unique little shop that I really think is one of Whitecourt’s hidden shopping gems. Now that could just be because I a huge reader and I find new books to be (for the most part – I do buy new if there’s a good reason to) too darn expensive to buy new. Or it could be because I like the slightly weird and interesting, as I enjoy looking over some of the collector pieces they have. Or it could be because one day there I found the coolest light up Coke sign (being a Cokeaholic I had to have it) and it was only $20.

Ah…the boys are home. My middle son got a new deck of Pokemon cards. In no time he will be reciting their names and attributes and letting me know what types they are best against in battle. Frankly, I have no clue why this is supposed to be the least bit interesting. Evidently it’s somehow quite crucial to the enjoyment and play of the game…and why I am so glad Tim opens up his store to masses of kids every Saturday & Sunday through the fall & winter months, along with after school every day as well as being open nearly every summer day through the vacation season.

Not that my kids go there all the time…but I like that it’s available. A safe place to go with adult supervision. That can be pretty important in the oncoming teen years (or so experts like my friend Aurelia) say. To have another responsible adult to go to when they aren’t able to come to you for any reason is priceless…but I digress.

My boys love their once a week adventure in gaming. I like that they have someplace special to go where they can learn sportsmanship and effective communication skills while building up their math and reading skills without even realizing it! You see, they think they are having fun, but in secret ninja mom style…they are actually learning pretty complicated (but foundational) stuff like logic and strategy along with everything else.

I may not know a Charizard from a Yu-Gi-Oh and hockey cards will forever boggle my mind (even though I do actually like the game) – but I do know I love Anything &  Everything because they do understand all that.

It’s well worth the $5 a week (on average) that the boys spend there. Of course, I have three boys so the costs are tripled but there are very few things the boys could be involved in (other than I think Youth Basketball) that cost less than $15.00 week for all three of them.