Christmas Cash 2007 promotion starting Oct. 15

Hillsboro’s hugely successful and much anticipated Christmas Cash promotion will start on Oct. 15 this year.
Hillsboro community residents last year spent $161,975 in Christmas Cash with Hillsboro Business Association stores.
The HBA-coordinated 2006 interest-free loan promotion recorded $147,000 in loans, a record year for the 19-year-old program.
Adding the free money offered by the Hillsboro Economic Development Corporation and the grand total spent in Hillsboro last year before Christmas reached nearly $162,000.
HEDC’s offer of 10 percent on each loan in basically free money is part of the package again this year.
The cash offer by HEDC does not have to be paid back. Borrowers have 10 months to pay back their interest-free Christmas Cash loans.
The Goose River Bank and Dakota Heritage Bank will process the Christmas Cash loans this year. Wells Fargo, a Hillsboro bank that has been with the HBA holiday promotion since its first year in 1988, is not participating this year. It was a corporate decision, according to Hillsboro’s Wells Fargo bankers.
“We expect another record year,” said Neil Nelson, HBA president.
Hillsboro families are taking advantage of the interest-free loans every year now, said Nelson. Plus, he said, the offer of 10 percent of each loan in what is basically free money is too good an offer to pass up.
“Hillsboro families are counting on having Christmas Cash to spend, either in their holiday shopping, paying bills or in major purchases for their home.”
A significant portion of the Christmas Cash is also being spent on home projects every year, added Nelson.
Matters little how the money is spent, Nelson said. “What’s important and what is extremely gratifying is the number of people participating and the dollars spent with Hillsboro Business Association stores.”
The support of the local merchants is greatly appreciated, Nelson added.
“The business community is looking forward to the annual holiday promotion as much as the Christmas Cash shoppers are.”
It’s your classic win-win situation, he added.
“And it couldn’t come at a better time, Christmas.”
More than a half a million dollars in Christmas Cash has been spent with HBA stores in the last five years.
In other Hillsboro Business Association news, the organization’s annual Scarecrow Contest is being planned for the week of Halloween.
Details on the home and business decorating contest will be released in October. The annual Halloween candy giveaway will be on Oct. 31 after school.

Advertising agency
opening downtown
Remodeling is underway at the one-time Hillsboro National Bank, downtown Hillsboro.
Beth Christianson-Melby and Teran Brown will soon be opening an advertising agency in the former bank building.
The two women hope to open the business — Hometown Aditude — in two weeks.
“God’s willing,” said Christianson-Melby, a Hillsboro resident. Brown lives near Cummings.
Christianson-Melby was formerly associated with Halstad Telephone. Most recently, she worked for Anchor Marketing of Grand Forks.
The new business will be a full-service ad agency, offering everything from advertising and marketing concepts for all media to webpage design, according to the two partners. Erin Brule, Crookston, will be the company’s graphic designer.
The old bank, located adjacent the Sports Bar and Grill, first opened in 1891 as a State Bank, owned by the Hillsboro Banking Company. The bank later merged with the Hillsboro National Bank, owned by Amos Plummer. The bank closed in 1932. It was later the city’s post office.
In other business news, Carol Peterson, owner of the PaddleWheel building on South Main Street, is re-opening the downtown bar and steak house next week.
Susi Hjelle and Frank Kartes have leased the business from Peterson the last two years.
The business is currently closed. Peterson will be refurbishing the interior next week.
She plans to open the business on Friday, Oct. 5