October marks the beginning of the 3/50 Project in Tarrytown, Sleepy Hollow and Irvington and with it comes the opportunity for shoppers and diners to win a prize for patronizing local businesses.

The 3/50 Project also is a reminder of the advantages accrued through shopping locally.

Beginning this month and lasting through the end of the year, shoppers will see “3/50 Project” emblems displayed in many businesses in the three villages. They indicate participation in the shop locally campaign organized by the Sleepy Hollow Tarrytown Chamber of Commerce and the Irvington Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with The Hudson Independent.

In each of the three months, October, November, and December a patron of businesses in Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown will be able to win a $50 dining certificate, and separately, a shopper at Irvington businesses will have a similar opportunity to win a $50 certificate. Winners will be determined through random drawings each month by the two Chambers. To be eligible for the random drawing , shoppers will need to spend at least $50 among three businesses in Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow or specifically among three businesses in Irvington during one month of the three months the campaign is active. Each Chamber’s campaign is being run separately.

The Sleepy Hollow Tarrytown Chamber will also be awarding a $250 grand prize at the end of the three month period through a special drawing of entries for . patrons of businesses in those two villages

By patronizing an independent, local businesses, as emphasized by the 3/50 Project, shoppers are keeping more of every dollar spent within their community as compared with shopping at a mall or box store. Shopping locally also shortens travel time, and helps reduce energy consumption and pollution.

Readers will find an entry form for October purchases on page 8 of this issue and entry forms can also be filled out on links on two websites, The Hudson Independent’s site for all entries and the Sleepy Hollow Tarrytown Chamber site for purchases specifically within those two villages. To be eligible for the prizes, should their entries be picked as winners, shoppers will need to produce the sales receipts from three businesses in the villages as described earlier, and listed on their entry forms. The entry forms will be used for the separate drawings held by the two chambers at the end of the month. The certificates are for dining at either the Red Hat in Irvington or Bistro Z at the Doubletree Hotel in Tarrytown.