The final winner of the DAILY LEADER’s Hometown Christmaspromotion was selected earlier this week f

Willie Montgomery, a Brookhaven resident of 61 years, wasselected as the grand prize winner of $500 in Hometown Bucks. Likethe majority of the contest’s winners, Montgomery was lucky for thefirst time.

“I’ve never won anything in my life before,” he said. “I’ve had towork for it.”

When he entered the contest two weeks ago, Montgomery was inFurniture Factory Outlet spending some of the money he had workedfor. He bought a $1,200 bedroom suite and, while he was paying forhis new items, he decided to enter the promotion.

“I just saw the forms over there and filled ’em out,” he said.

Now that Montgomery has won the final and biggest prize in thenewspaper’s Christmas promotion, he has no idea what to do with hiswinnings.

“I just have bought a new bed, dresser and chest-of-drawers,” hesaid. “I’ve got all the furniture I need. I don’t know where I’mgonna spend this.”

While Montgomery was unsure of where to spend the Hometown Bucks,he did know how to handle the small piece of financial easementthat the prize had caused. He said he plans to make a biggercontribution to the offering plate at Little Bahalia Baptist Churchnext Sunday.

Montgomery was not the only one awarded for participating inHometown Christmas. Furniture Factory Outlet owner Matt Walker hasalso seen the benefits.

“The promotion has worked real good,” he said. “It has helped theChristmas business during the last few weeks, and when it firststarted, it really helped a lot. It brings a lot of people in.Everyone asks for that box; they get real excited about it.”

Walker, who now lives in Texarkana, Ark., manages a second storethere. He makes regular trips to south Mississippi to check on hisbusiness. He said the current Brookhaven site will soon close andmove to a new building near Exit 42 on Interstate 55.

Walker’s Furniture Factory Outlet is but one of 23 businesses thatparticipate in the Hometown Christmas promotion, in which $1,000 inHometown Bucks have been awarded this year.

The Hometown Christmas promotion is designed to keep holidayshopping alive in Brookhaven’s local businesses.

Shoppers can register to win Hometown Bucks by signing up at any ofthe participating businesses. Designated boxes are on display toaccept entry forms.

The winnings may only be spent at participating retailbusinesses.

Promotion sponsors this year included 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.