(The Kingsport Chamber of Commerce issued the following.)
KINGSPORT, Tenn. — Santa Claus just might be giving away his best gifts yet!
The Kingsport Area Chamber of Commerce and Santa have teamed up for the first online Santa Train Ticket Contest to be held from Wednesday, September 23 to Sunday, October 11, 2009.
To register for a chance to win one of two tickets aboard the 67th Annual Santa Train, complete the online entry form:
http://kingsportchamber.org/contact_santa.php
Contest entries by phone or fax will not be accepted.
Entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 11.
Two lucky winners will be selected from the Kingsport Chamber’s online contest and announced on Friday, Oct. 23, 2009. Winning tickets only ensure the selected individual has the opportunity to ride the train; the cost is $130 per person, which covers the cost of the hotel room, the bus driver and other incidentals.
Official contest rules will be followed and other restrictions may be applied.
Santa Train passengers will depart from Kingsport, Tenn. to Pikeville, Ky. on Friday, Nov.20 and the train will run Saturday, Nov. 21.
Due to the enormous demand to ride the Santa Train, tickets are non-transferable, non-refundable and non-redeemable.
To be eligible, you must be over the age of 18, agree to the Santa Train Agreement and Release and submit a 250 word essay on “Why I Would Like to Ride the Santa Train.”
“It is the spirit of giving, loving and caring that comes from giving to others, especially to the children. After all, each of us wants to believe,” said Santa.
The Santa Train is an annual project and co-sponsored by CSX Transportation, Food City and the Kingsport Area Chamber of Commerce.
The train delivers more than 15 tons of gifts, toys and clothes to thousands of children along the 110-mile train route between Shelby, Ky., and Kingsport.
The Santa Train began as a way to show appreciation to residents of Southwest Virginia and Eastern Kentucky for shopping in Kingsport.
For continuous updates about the Santa Train, please visit the Kingsport Chamber on Facebook, Twitter and www.KingsportChamber.org. Find more on the Facebook fan page, The Santa Train, and on Twitter @TheSantaTrain.
Click here for online entry form:
http://kingsportchamber.org/contact_santa.php
The Kingsport Area Chamber of Commerce is a private, non-profit business organization comprised of nearly 1,000 members. The Kingsport Chamber’s mission is to utilize resources and focus efforts on enhancing a strong and viable business environment for the Kingsport area. The Kingsport Chamber has been accredited by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for 25 years. For more information on the Kingsport Chamber, visit www.kingsportchamber.org.