By By Paul Keane and
James Crawford
A drawing for $500 in gift certificates and a free concert Friday will usher in the final weekend before Christmas as residents begin making their final pushes toward the big day on Dec. 25.
There is still time to register to win as much as $300 in Atmore Gift Certificates as part of the Atmore Chamber of Commerce's Christmas Promotion.
More than 30 local businesses have set up boxes in their locations, allowing people to register for a drawing to be held on Friday for various prizes. The cornerstone of those prizes will be a total of $500 in Atmore Gift Certificates being given to three lucky winners.
The first prize winner will receive $300 in gift certificates while the second and third prize winners will receive $100 each in gift certificates.
Registrations will be taken through Thursday, when Chamber officials will collect all of the boxes in order to conduct the drawing on Friday.
Atmore Gift Certificates can be redeemed with any Chamber member and can be used just like cash. The giveaway is being done on Friday in order to allow winners enough time to use the certificates for any last-minute Christmas shopping.
The L.A. Pops, a local community musical group will give a free performance on Friday at 7 p.m. at the Community Cup in downtown Atmore. The group will perform old time Christmas Carols for approximately an hour and the event is open to the public.
The L.A. Pops consist of former high school or college musicians or those who are self taught who come together for the joy of playing. "It's an organization that allows people who used to play and no longer have a venue to come out and play," said group member and former radio personality Jerry Gehman, who also lamented on how easy music gets back in your blood. "It doesn't matter what age you are as long as you want to play. It's not hard to relearn. It's like riding a bike. We hope to sustain a community band and expand it to the level of orchestra someday."
Some of the musicians include current band members from bands elsewhere, including the University of Alabama's Million Dollar Band. "Some kids from the University play with us when school is out," Gehman said.