The DAILY LEADER’s Hometown Christmas promotion is drawing to aclose.

The grand finale, where $500 in Hometown Bucks will be awardedto one last winner, is all that remains now that Brookhaven’sAldora Fells was named the winner in week five.

Fells was selected from the Hometown Christmas entry box atGad’s. She decided to enter the contest just days ago whilevisiting the store to pay off a bill.

Fells said she enters small contests and promotions all thetime. But, as often is the case with Hometown Christmas winners,she is not frequently lucky.

When she was called and informed that she was the week fivewinner, Fells was almost overwhelmed.

“I wasn’t expecting to win,” she said. “But I was glad; I washappy … and I was glad I was sitting down when they told me.”

Fells has already taken care of her Christmas shopping, andplans to enjoy the $100 of Hometown Bucks by herself. She will,however, take advantage of the financial bonus to keep ontithing.

“I’m gonna buy myself something for one thing,” she said. “Then,I’m gonna go to church on Sunday morning and put a little somethingin the offering plate. The Lord sure has blessed me.”

Fells frequents Gad’s to take advantage of the many servicesoffered by the store, owned by Brookhavenite Lori Salyer. Salyernot only sells jewelry and handbags, but has a hair salon ontanning beds on hand, as well as an ordering station for JC Pennycatalog items.

Salyer said the Hometown Christmas promotion has done its job,which is to promote Brookhaven’s local businesses, in herstore.

“Business has been really good,” she said. “Lots of people havebeen coming by the store and lots of people have been entering thecontest.”

Fells and Salyer’s Gad’s are the fifth different winner andbusiness to be featured in the Hometown Christmas promotion.

A drawing for the big prize of $500 will be held during thesixth and final week of the promotion. With the awarding of the$500 grand prize combined with the five weeks of $100 prizes,$1,000 in Hometown Bucks will have been awarded by the time thepromotion ends on Dec. 14.

The Hometown Christmas contest is designed to keep holidayshopping alive in Brookhaven’s local businesses. Shoppers canregister to win Hometown Bucks by signing up at any of theparticipating businesses.

Designated boxes are on display to accept entry forms. Thewinnings may only be spent at participating retail businesses.

Promotion sponsors this year include J&B Tile & Marble,Sisters by Design, Rushing’s Boots & Shoe Shop, Bebe’s, RoxyMagnolia, The UPS Store, Growin’ Green Landscape, The FinishingTouch, Just Kiddin’, Expectations, Blue Heaven, Smith Jewelry,Brookhaven Honda, Jjams, ABLES, the Bank of Brookhaven, FurnitureFactory Outlet, Millane’s, Betty Ann’s, Gad’s, State Bank and TrustCompany, T.H. Perkins Furniture Company and Trustmark Bank.