Zeeland Board of Public Works’ Holiday Power Dollars program goes digital

Once again, the Zeeland Board of Public Works is handing out Holiday Power Dollars that can be spent at participating local businesses. 

For 30 years, the public utility has given out the annual gift to residential electric customers who decorate the exterior of their home or yard with holiday lights or Zeeland’s infamous Yard Cards. 

The tradition encourages Zeeland’s festive neighborhoods, but also benefits the participating businesses that accept the certificates. The ZBPW reimburses participating merchants 100% of the face value of each certificate. To date, the Holiday Power Dollar program has infused almost $650,000 into the local Zeeland economy.

Digital certificates

Past cycles of Power Dollars have included physical certificates and relied on in-person transactions for customers to claim the certificates from the Zeeland BPW Office. New cycles of Power Dollars will be digital and touch-free. 

For health and safety reasons, in an effort to limit foot traffic at the BPW customer service counter, customers can claim their Holiday Power Dollars online at zeelandbpw.com/powerdollars. They also can sign up by calling the Zeeland BPW office 616-772-6212, between the hours of 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. 

Power Dollars will be delivered, via email, in a group of three unique $5 certificates, totaling $15 per household. If a customer does not have an email address, ZBPW will arrange to send hard-copy certificates by mail. Certificates will be issued to one person per household. 

Jan. 31 expiration

Customers receiving digital Power Dollars can print the certificates or save them to a smartphone; participating merchants will scan the QR code to redeem the certificates.

The annual Holiday Power Dollars program runs Nov. 30 through Dec. 12, 2020. Holiday Power Dollars will expire Jan. 31, 2021.

This past summer, in light of the current pandemic, ZBPW issued a bonus round of Economic Advantage Power Dollars. These certificates also expire Jan. 31, 2021.