POTSDAM -- The Potsdam Chamber of Commerce is encouraging residents to shop local for the holidays.

Some chamber member businesses took part in Small Business Saturday Nov. 29. Many businesses and organizations are having events this weekend, Dec. 6 and 7, and again Dec. 12 to 14.

The Potsdam Chamber will host its gift wrapping station from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13.

Chamber Executive Director Marylee Ballou said the gift wrapping station will be at the 24 Market St. chamber office. Shoppers that purchase items at a Potsdam business between Nov. 29 and Dec. 13 can bring those items to the chamber office to be wrapped. The wrapping will be free to those with a receipt from a local business chamber member, up to three items per member. People at the wrapping station will be verifying and checking receipts.

Those with items from a Potsdam store that isn’t a chamber member can still be wrapped but will pay $2 for every three items. A receipt will still be needed to verify it is from a Potsdam business, Ballou said.

The wrapping station will be staffed by members of two charity organizations. From 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. volunteers from Gina’s Gift will be wrapping and also have items for purchase to support their efforts. Gina’s Gift is a memorial gift fund in honor of Mrs. Gina Lizardi. This fund was created to pass Gina's love for reading on to each baby born at Canton-Potsdam Hospital.

The 2:30 to 6 p.m. wrapping will be done by volunteers from Hospice of St. Lawrence Valley. Their focus is to provide services to residents of St. Lawrence County that bring comfort, peace, and dignity to patients and their families. They offer a variety of services and assistance.

“We also encourage you to bring gifts for the Potsdam Holiday Fund Giving trees to be wrapped here as well,” Ballou added. “And we still have a few free shop small tote bags left to give out.”

She also noted that parking downtown will be free.