All the entries for the Name the Fairgrounds Contest have been submitted to the ad-hoc committee – all 193 names and the top three submissions have been selected. The three names that will now go onto the ballot are: Merrill Event Grounds; Merrill Event Park; and Merrill Festival Grounds. Voting will begin on July 20 and run through Aug. 31.
Each ad-hoc committee member voted for three submitted names, arriving at the top three names. Two of the names selected had been submitted by several different people. In the case of one of those names being voted the winner, the first person who submitted the name in the contest will be declared the winner. All entries were numbered and added to the list on a daily basis. No duplicate names were submitted on the same day and there can only be one winner.
Now the names selected will go out into the community for voting. As a fundraiser, everyone voting will be asked to donate $5 with their ballot. Ballot boxes will be available at the Chamber, Johnson’s Gifts & Collectibles and at the Lincoln County Fair (July 22-26) in the Sell Building at the Wellness Center (Gress Chiropractic) booth and at the Eagle’s Club beer garden. The winner of the “Name the (former) Fairgrounds Contest” will win a pair of tickets to each of the big events held on the former fairgrounds site during the 2016 season.
“The ad-hoc committee for the fairgrounds is making great progress on the planning phase of the grounds and had a fun time selecting the top three entries out of a field of 193 entries,” said Debbe Kinsey, Merrill Chamber CEO. “Now we are anxious to see which name the community will vote for and begin a brand new future for the fairgrounds property.”
In addition, the Merrill Chamber Foundation has opened a new community project fund for tax-deductible donations for the fairgrounds. Donations can be made to the Merrill Events Fund and sent to the foundation at Merrill Chamber Foundation, Inc, 705 N. Center Ave., Merrill, WI 54452. In addition, a Go Fund Me account has also been set-up on-line under the name Merrill Events Fund. Donations to the Go Fund Me are not tax-deductible however.
For more information contact the Chamber at 715-536-9474.