Donation deadline noon Friday;
Blaze auction Friday night

Bluffton residents are invited to a big party to launch the 2009 Blaze of Lights. The party, open to the public, starts at 6 p.m., Friday, Nov. 20, at The Centre, 601 N. Main St.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and musical entertainment starts at 6 p.m. The party includes an auction, food, gingerbread house decorating contest and middle school art contest.

The event is free and open to the public.

Bluffton businesses and organizations have their final chance to donate an item to the Blaze of Lights fundraiser auction this week. Auction items may be delivered to the Bluffton Senior Citizens Center, 132 N. Main St., until noon on Friday.

Businesses with certificates for the auction may also mail them to the Chamber, PO Box 142, Bluffton, Ohio 45817. A third option is to contact Fred Steiner to have the auction item picked up. Persons may contact him at 419-889-3065.

Auction overview
5 p.m. - doors open - No admission charge, no pre-sale tickets required!
5:30 p.m. - musical entertainment by the Lima Trinity United Methodist Church bell choir
6 p.m. - auction begins

Mitch Johns of Oakwood has volunteered his services as auctioneer.
All proceeds from the auction benefit the Blaze of Lights.

Auction food
Auction-type food will be available for sale (barbecue beef sandwiches, shredded chicken sandwiches, soft drinks, potato chips and cookies). Food will be sold as the auction proceeds.

Art contest
The popular art contest, started last year, will feature works by Bluffton Middle School art students. Students will enter one work based on the Blaze theme "Home for Christmas." Entries will be judged during the auction. Winner will be announced at the auction conclusion.

Trophies will be awarded to the first, second and third place winners. All artists who enter works will receive ribbons. Last year's show attracted 34 art works.

Gingerbread house contest
Any community member is invited to enter the contest. Entry forms explaining the rules are available in several Main Street businesses, on the explorebluffton.com (Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce) website.

Gingerbread entries will be judged during the evening. Ribbons and certificates will be awarded to the first, second and third place creations. In addition, a people's choice award will be given to one entry.

The people's choice winner will be determined by the amount of money that entry receives in a "voting" process by persons attending the event. The people's choice winner will receive a $50 savings bond.

An entry fee of $5 per gingerbread house is being asked. That fee will be waved if the entrant agrees to allow the gingerbread house to be auctioned later in the evening. (Persons entering are not required to have their entry part of the auction.)

Gingerbread entries may be taken to the chamber from Wednesday until Friday evening.

Chamber website has everything
you need to know about the Blaze
The Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce website has all the up-to-date information about the 2009 Blaze of Lights.

The website: explorebluffton.com has the Blaze schedule and forms for:
o entering the parade,
o entering the Nov. 20 gingerbread house decorating contest,
o entering the Bluffton residential lighting contest
Soon to be added is a map showing the location of most of Bluffton's holiday lighting displays.

CNB offers chamber gift certificates
Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce gift certificates are now available at Citizens National Bank. The certificates are actually checks from the chamber's account. The certificates make great Christmas gifts. Certificates may be purchased in any amount. They may be used in any Bluffton business. There is no charge to purchase a certificate. The certificates are valid for 12 months after they are purchased.

Certificates are also available from the chamber. Persons may contact [email protected] for certificates.