Downtown merchants want you to be Luverne’s valentine. The Downtown Merchants Association is sponsoring a t-shirt contest with the theme, “I Love Luverne.”

Members of the Crenshaw County Arts Council will lend a hand by choosing three winning entries.

The categories are grades 4-6; grades 7-9; and grades 10-12.

Students in grades 4 to 6 may choose to color an entry form instead of drawing freehand. The entry forms are available at The Luverne Journal, Crenshaw Christian Academy, Luverne School or online at www.luvernejournal.com. Entries may be turned in at the same locations.

Winners will be given a t-shirt with their design. Chances are, they won’t be the only ones sporting the designs. Trish’s Treasures will have the designs available for pre-orders.

Winners will be announced Saturday, Feb. 14, at The Pavilion at 10 a.m. A drawing will also be held during the event. The drawing is for merchandise from local stores.

“We’re sponsoring something similar to the Shop Local campaign we had before Christmas,” said Gary Mitchell, a member of DMA.

Starting Feb. 1, those who spend $10 in a participating store will be given an entry ticket for the drawing. The campaign ends Friday, Feb. 13.

“They can register at any one store as many as 13 times,” Mitchell said. “They have to spend $10 and can only register once a day in each store.”

Participating stores will display flyers in their windows. The complete list will also be available on the Facebook pages of Crenshaw County Chamber of Commerce, Celebrate Luverne and the Downtown Merchants Association.

The campaign, which is aimed at encouraging people to shop locally, is open to businesses throughout the area. To participate, business owners may contact the Chamber of Commerce or Mitchell. In exchange for donating a prize for the drawing, the business will receive entry tickets to offer to customers who spend at least $10.

One soon-to-be popular item that could earn shoppers an entry will be “I love Luverne” t-shirts. Mitchell said the shirts would be available Feb. 1 and are not associated with the shirts available in the “I Love Luverne” contest.

“It’ll be in different colors and different sizes. They’ll be at stores throughout town,” he said. “People stop at Trish’s a lot and want a souvenir of Luverne, which we don’t really have. But these shirts will be available throughout the area.”

The DMA will have shirts available at Luverne Budget shop, 61 on Main, The General Store and Trish’s Treasures. Proceeds will go to DMA to bring more events to Downtown Luverne.