Big prizes up for grabs at trade show

Wanna win a Dodge 4X4 pickup truck? How about a Kia Sorento? Or maybe a boat and motor package is more to your liking?
Well then, get out those golf clubs, find your putter, and start practising as you’ll have a chance to win any one of these during the Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce’s annual home and leisure show May 7-8 at the Memorial Sports Centre.
Chamber manager Dawn Booth said Thursday morning she just confirmed Wednesday that sponsors are in place for a “Hole-in-One Putt” contest that will take place during the trade show.
This is how it will work: Anyone who wants to take a shot on the putting green set up on the Ice for Kids Arena floor just has to pay $5 per putt.
People can take as many putts as they want—as long as they pay each time.
Those who make a hole-in-one then will get their name put into a draw, which will be made next Saturday (May 8) at 3 p.m. The first 100 people drawn then will get a crack at entering a five-digit code to open a “prize vault,” noted Booth.
The person who gets the code right will open the vault and get a choice of one of three prizes: a Dodge 4X4 truck from West End Motors, a KIA Sorento from K-Sport Kia in Kenora, or a prize package from Badiuk Equipment including an Alumacraft boat, a boat trailer, both a motor and trolling motor, a four-wheeler, a motorbike, a pushmower, a riding lawn mower, a brush cutter and a chainsaw.
There only will be one winner, stressed Booth, noting the contest will end if someone cracks the code even if there are still others waiting for their chance.
“We’re very happy West End Motors, K-Sports, and Badiuk Equipment came on board,” said Booth, adding the trade show has never featured a contest with prizes like this before.
“I think this will bring people down. Hopefully, we’ll also get a big crowd when people are trying to open the prize vault, too,” she added.
Meanwhile, Booth said “things are coming along peachy” with the other aspects of the two-day trade show.
“We are jam-packed full with exhibitors,” she remarked. “We haven’t had that in a while. It’s nice to see people participating in the trade show again.”
More than 65 exhibitors are booked for the Ice for Kids Arena while another seven will be set up in the lobby.
“Spring carnival” is the theme for the trade show, which also will feature a petting zoo, pony rides, inflatable “bouncers,” Crime Stoppers’ “Bail or Jail,” as well as other games, product demonstrations, and contests.
Booth added the Chamber is trying to “reach all ages” at this year’s trade show and give people more reasons to spend time there. In fact, the trade show floor will be divided into sections for kids, seniors, women, and men.
And taking a page from last year’s trade show, which featured an antiques appraiser, next week’s show will have on hand three interior designers, with whom people can make an appointment for advice on renovating their homes.
The trade show will run Friday, May 7 from noon-9 p.m. and again Saturday, May 8 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is free.
To find out more about the trade show, or to be an exhibitor, call Booth at 274-5773 or drop by the Chamber office at 474 Scott St. (across from Safeway).