Rebecca Mahler, you lucky skunk, you won #ShopYK

This year’s winner of $3,000 courtesy of Yellowknife’s annual #ShopYK local shopping bonanza is Rebecca Mahler.

The news was understood to be well-received by one area woman and begrudgingly by several hundred other residents.

In total, there were 1,360 passports entered for the contest – in which people collect stamps by spending money at a range of local establishments.

This year, there were 51 participating businesses. The contest ran from October 15 to December 7.

Deneen Everett, executive director of the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce, said spending through the passports totalled $816,000 – below the initiative’s million-dollar target this year, and the $931,800 spent through the campaign last year.

“We did not hit our million-dollar goal but we love the campaign,” Everett told Cabin Radio.

“There’s a lot of support from the business community, so we’ll keep going next year.”

Though Everett did not attempt to explain the drop in spending, local business Flowers North recently suggested residents’ fears regarding the prospect of strike action in the new year were hampering sales.

Mahler’s $3,000 doesn’t come in the form of cash. The prize must be spent locally, so Mahler instead will be able to divide her prize between a range of the 51 participating companies as she sees fit.

#ShopYK is a collaboration between the City of Yellowknife and the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce.