LINDEN &8212; In an effort to encourage citizens to shop locally, several Linden merchants will be sporting red &8220;Shop Linden&8221; signs that offer a chance to win cash prizes with funds donated from the Industrial Development Board.

At each of the shops with a red sign, shoppers who spend $10 or more can register to win cash awards of $50, $100 and $150, which will be awarded to three lucky shippers on Friday, Dec. 7 during Linden&8217;s Second Annual Night Christmas Parade.

According to Pat Dixon, a consultant for the IDB, the idea to offer incentives for shoppers to shop locally was in part to help ease the holiday shopping frenzy.

Dixon said the high price of gas may restrict people from traveling to do their Christmas shopping, and this is a way to let people know much of their shopping can be done here. Furthermore, she notes the recent loss of jobs may also cut into usual Christmastime profits, so these incentives may offer a way to balance that.

Another drawing for $50, $100 and $150 cash awards will be held on Saturday, Dec. 22 at 1 p.m. Both drawings will be at Linden&8217;s downtown park gazebo and the winners do not have to be present, Dixon said. Furthermore, the names of the winners of the first drawing will remain in the pot and could be drawn a second time.

These prizes are just a fraction of the activity in preparation for the holiday season, Dixon said. The first event was the open house on Sunday, Nov. 11.

Little Drugs and Gift Shoppe, Ziggy Zelda, Nellie&8217;s Silk Flower&Gifts, Tan&Tone, Persnickety, Two of a Kind, Carlton Home Mortgage, Merle Norman Studio and Salon and West Alabama Communications all participated in the open house. These and others will be displaying the red &8220;Shop Linden&8221; signs, Dixon said.