TMCF POWER MONTH Winners Announced

Monroe County-The Monroe County Economic Development Council (MCEDC) is pleased to announce the Blue, Red and White Ribbon winners in the Think Monroe County First (TMCF) POWER MONTH drawing held Sunday evening at the close of the Monroe County Fair. Consumers brought in more than $335,000 in receipts during the Fair week event.

Jennifer Rethwisch of Wartburg won the Blue Ribbon prize, valued at more than $8,000 from more than 70 Monroe County businesses. Rethwisch won the top prize after submitting 13 entries. Visit www.thinkmonroecountyfirst.com for a complete list of businesses and the prizes.

“I do three-fourths of my shopping in Monroe County because I think it’s very important to keep it local. I’m very elated and thankful that I won especially since the guy in front of me had about 300 entries. I didn’t think I had a chance, but one of the Think Monroe County First workers reminded me that it only takes one to win.”

John and Alice Kuehn of New Athens are the recipients of the Red Ribbon prize, a $1,000 gift certificate to The Market Place in Columbia. The Kuehns’ entries were based on the purchase of a new car made in Monroe County in July.

Gay Lea Mund-Roush of Waterloo won the White Ribbon prize, a Craftsman 6.75 ft/lbs. torque 4-in-1 Briggs and Stratton Yard Vacuum valued at $750 from Sears in Waterloo. Mund-Roush, like Rethwisch, won on the submission of 13 entries.

Local consumers were allowed one chance in the drawing for every $100 of receipts they presented for purchases made in Monroe County. The receipts had to be dated from July 1 until 8 p.m. closing night of the fair.

“This was our second year for the drawing, and we feel it was once again a great success. The TMCF committee decided to have three prizes instead of just one for our second year and we were excited that our local business community stepped up to the plate and made sure all of the prizes were valuable,” said Nora Feuquay, U of I Extension-Monroe County, Community and Economic Development Educator.

“The POWER MONTH event was designed to reward local consumers for their purchases within Monroe County and to bolster the local economy during the month of July, and I think by bringing in more than $335,000 in receipts we achieved our goal,” added Feuquay. “It’s an important part of increasing and sustaining public awareness on how important it is to every resident of Monroe County to keep our local dollars local.”

Shannon Zarek, MCEDC member and part of the Think Monroe County First committee, said consumers and the local businesses should feel proud that in this economy Monroe County is faring better than some of our surrounding counties in sales tax revenues. “I think that in large part, that is thanks to the Think Monroe County First program that strives to keep the shop/spend local message on our consumers’ minds. We thank all of the local businesses that support TMCF.”

For more information on the Think Monroe County First program or the Monroe County Economic Development Council, visit their websites at www.thinkmonroecountyfirst.com and www.monroecountyedg.org or contact Nora Feuquay at 618-939-8681, ext. 309 or nfeuquay@illinois.edu.