The TroyFest Art and Craft Festival committee has launched the Jean Lake Purchase Program just in time to give TroyFest Bucks as unique and special Christmas gifts.

By donating to the Jean Lake Purchase Program, supporters receive a certificate for TroyFest Bucks at the Pike County Chamber of Commerce.

“Sometimes it seems like those on our Christmas lists have everything, so we have a hard time finding the right present for a co-worker, friend, relative or even our spouse,” said Leigh Anne Windham, Jean Lake Purchase Program chair for the TroyFest committee. “The gift of TroyFest Bucks is actually two gifts in one. The one who receives the TroyFest Bucks receives a personal invitation to TroyFest 2013 and can choose something very special while they are there. That something special might be for the house or the office or a personal item.”

A decorative certificate for TroyFest Bucks will be given to each supporter and the gift recipient may redeem the certificate at the TroyFest headquarters tent during the Festival for their allotment of TroyFest Bucks.

“These ‘bucks’ may be spent at any artist booth at the festival,” Windham said. “The Jean Lake Purchase Program allows supporters to donate to the TroyFest Art and Craft Festival by contributing 10 percent of their gift to the Festival. The remaining donation is returned in TroyFest Bucks to be used during the Festival to purchase items from the artists.”

Windham said the Jean Lake Purchase Program helps the Festival in a variety of ways.

“The 10 percent donation helps with operations and also with scholarships given as part of the Festival,” she said. “Also, we advertise to artists about our Jean Lake Purchase Program. The guaranteed sales from the TroyFest Bucks that are distributed encourage the best artists to participate.”

Jean Lake Purchase Program patrons receive an invitation to the Artist Party held on Saturday night during the festival. They are also provided with a wristband for entry into the Hospitality Suite at the Festival and are listed as Jean Lake patrons on Festival materials.

TroyFest is held the last weekend in April each year in downtown Troy.