Judy Dardzinski wants you to “Discover Manlius.”
“Christopher Columbus discovered America, now let’s discover the town of Manlius,” she told the Manlius Town Board at their meeting Wednesday, Sept. 27.
Dardzinski, chair of the Greater Manlius Chamber of Commerce’s “Discover the Town of Manlius” committee, was promoting the Chamber’s buy local campaign, which kicks off Friday, Oct. 5, and runs through Sunday, Oct. 14.
“Many people come to the Chamber and they ask, ‘What is the Chamber doing for me?’ So this is our answer,” she said.
She handed out the campaign’s passport booklet, which can be picked up at the Fayetteville and Manlius Tops locations. All are invited to take the passport to any of the 60 participating businesses and have it stamped. The number of personalized business stickers you collect will make you eligible for one of three prizes in a raffle: collect 10 to 19 stickers and be eligible for the $50 prize; tally 20 to 39 for a chance to win $150; or amass 40 to 50 stickers for a chance to win the $200 grand prize.
Prizes will be doled out in “Manlius Bucks,” which will be issued in $10 increments and are valid until Dec. 31 at any of the campaign’s 60 participating businesses.
Throughout the campaign, those businesses will display the Discover the Town of Manlius logo in their windows.
“When you get involved with all the different businesses in our area you find out how important it is for you and citizens of our area to buy local,” Dardzinski said. “Who does everybody go to when they want a sponsor? Or they want a donation? It’s not the big guys.”
The campaign gets started with events at The Shoppes at Towne Center in Fayetteville throughout Columbus Day weekend. For more information visit manliuschamber.com or call 637-4760.
“Please come out and support our businesses,” Dardzinski said. “They’re supporting you.”
Discover the Town of Manlius
The Chamber of Commerce will host the following events:
Friday, Oct. 5 (Fayetteville Towne Center Gazebo)
5:30 PM: The F-M Pop Warner Cheerleaders perform a routine.
6 – 8 PM: The Party Nuts perform.
Local restaurants will offer special “buy local” meals and discounts.
Saturday, Oct. 6 (Fayetteville Towne Center Atrium)
3 PM: Great Northern Pizza will sponsor an eating contest between ESM and F-M students. Representing ESM: Matt Pede, Mike Gorman, Erik Langlois, Danielle Douglas and Natalie O’Brian. For F-M: Jake Welker, A.J. Baynes, Erik Robinson, Ian Adler, Mike Ovadias and alternate Curtis Coughlin.
4 – 5 PM: Lego Mindstorms robots and creations: FIRST Lego League Senior Solutions Challenge. Andrew Leary will lead the FTC Team 4957 as they demonstrate their competition robot. Also enjoy an interactive Maker Lab by Fayetteville Free Library.
Saturday, Oct. 13
11 AM – 1 PM: Take a free dance lesson with Senior Guzman at Guzman Dance Studio in Fayetteville.
3 PM: Great Northern Pizza will sponsor another eating contest between the employees of Fayetteville Towne Center.
Ongoing
—The Fayetteville and Manlius Tops locations invite you to stop in and guess the weight of the large pumpkin on display. Prizes will be awarded at each store. Guess must be submitted by 5 PM Oct. 14.
—Cazenovia Jewelry in Fayetteville Towne Center is asking people to guess how many stones it took to create the picture display in the side window. A prize will be given to the closest guesser. Guess must be submitted by 5 PM Oct. 14.
—If your birthday falls between Oct. 5 and 14, present proof of birth to Pascale Cafe & Bakehouse, 210 Brooklea Drive, Fayetteville, for a free regular or decaf coffee, or to UNO’s, 520 Towne Drive, Fayetteville, for a free snack hour appetizer.
—The Matilda Josyln Gage Foundation, 210 E. Genesee St., Fayetteville, invites you to come “write on their walls.”
—Many participating Chamber members will offer specials, samples and demonstrations throughout the week.
