OGDENSBURG – Responding to a challenge from an Ogdensburg nun, the Greater Ogdensburg Chamber of Commerce is building on her idea to buy from nearby businesses for the holidays.

Small Business Saturday on Nov. 24 is an opportunity for local people to visit with local business owners and get some holiday shopping done.

Sister Donna Franklin several years ago issued a challenge for people in Ogdensburg to spend 50 percent of their holiday food and gift budget within a 50-mile radius of the city, believing it would add millions of dollars to the local economy.

Now the chamber is redoubling that effort, encouraging shopping at stores even closer to home, whom the chamber has asked to provide shopping ideas to local customers.

“With gas prices at almost record highs we would like to explore every possible gift idea in the greater Ogdensburg area especially for Small Business Saturday on November 24,” said chamber executive director Sandy Porter.

Some of the small businesses responding with ideas for the local shopping campaign are:

• A#1 Buffet King, employee lunch, gift card, shopping break

• Artworks Creperie & Gift Shop, brunch, unusual gift ideas

• Aubuchon Hardware, decorations, tools, birding, IOU to paint the living room

• Banks, Savings bonds for any age

• Bake’s Custom Painting & Joannie’s Glass, custom sign for your camp, unique etched pieces

• Basta’s Flower Shop, one-of-a-kind gift ideas, traditional and unusual florals

• Bertrand’s Construction & Landscaping, that deck off the master bedroom

• Big Cheese Pizza, office party, tree decorating night, gift cards, babysitter

• Blevins Bros, Inc., big boy toys

• Bob McGrath Construction, car wash coupons for your mom and grandparents

• Bradley’s Service Station, oil change and service gift cards great stocking stuffers

• Buster’s Sports Bar, gift idea for employees, service providers and friends

• Cape Air, weekend in Boston for two

• Carbino’s Diamond Center, jewelry, “always a sound choice”

• Carney’s Ceramic Studio, Handcrafted custom ceramics

• Casey’s Health Connection, fill stockings with healthy supplements

• Center For Sight, designer sunglasses for every style

• Chamber of Commerce, collectable ornaments, Ogdensburg T-shirts, coasters, books

• CHMC Aux. Gift Shop, Vera Bradley headquarters

• Cobblestone Gifts, heartwarming Americana décor items

• Davinci’s Spaghetti House, office party, gift certificates

• Dixie Lee Fried Chicken, quick lunch, gift card for the babysitter, mailman, hairdresser

• Donut King Restaurant, relax with friends, gift cards

• Duty Free Americas, stock up for holiday parties, watches, jewelry

• Eye Candy, handcrafted jewelry

• Farrands Flowers, religious gifts, flower arrangements, dish gardens

• Forever Green Landscaping, contract out that snowplowing or yard work for your parents

• Fort LaPresentation Assoc., sweatshirts, totes, golf shirts,

• Fredrick Remington Art Museum, gift shop is full of great gift giving ideas

• Freight House Restaurant, holiday party, sisters’ get-together, gift cards

• Gardner’s Flooring and Furniture Recliners, dining tables, carpeting, lamps, gift cards

• Gary & Aileen’s Hairstyling, gift cards for a new ‘do’ or tan or perm

• Gilbert Greens Country Club, golf gift card, something else that always fits

• Gran-View Restaurant, employee party, gift cards for all

• Hosmer’s Marina, fishing tackle, prepaid boat slip rentals

• Johnstown Duty Free, party supplies, perfume, watches, imported chocolate

• Jones Insurance, pay your kids auto insurance for a month or so to help them out

• Jreck’s Sub, party food made easy, gift cards

• Kimro’s Medicine Place, holiday cards, pet supplies, all sorts of stocking stuffers

• Kinney Drugs, cards, gifts, candy, cameras, books

• Knot Just Donutz and More, take a shopping coffee and donut break.

• Lights of the River, make this an annual family tradition

• Little Caesars’s Pizza, gift cards, party planning

• Little Italy Pizza, relax with your family after a day of decorating; gift cards

• Lowes, decorations, tools, birdfeeders, how-to books gift cards

• McDonalds, start your day with breakfast at McDonalds. gift cards

• Miller’s Greenhouse, Christmas trees, wreaths, swags, kissing balls

• Mort Backus & Sons, new family van, or a complete winterizing of your old one.

• Nice-N-Easy, gas cards, quick lunch, lottery tickets for stocking stuffers

• Off the Hook Bed & Breakfast, weekend getaway surprise

• Ogdensburg Bowl, bowling passes for holiday vacation

• Ogdensburg Bridge & Port Authority prepaid bridge passes

• Ogdensburg Command Performance, tickets to favorite shows

• Ogdensburg Save-A-Lot, everything you need for your holiday baking and parties

• Park Street Agway, grab a quick wrap for lunch, lottery tickets, pet supply headquarters

• Peebles, gift ideas for the entire family

• Phillips Diner, begin your shopping with a hearty breakfast. Gift cards

• Phoenix on the Bay, office party, gift cards

• Price Chopper, gift baskets, gift cards, flowers, plants

• Radiance Hair &Day Spa, pamper her with a day at the spa gift card

• River Myst Winery, gift baskets of wines, candles

• Seaway Valley Limo Service, gift card for Seaway Valley Jumpers bounce houses

• Sholette’s Liquors, party supplies headquarters, hostess gifts

• Steele Photography & Video, matted pictures of Ogdensburg area and historic scenes

• Stonefence Motel LLC, surprise him with a weekend getaway for two.

• Sully’s Tavern, make a date with old friends to share some holiday cheer

• The Cutting Edge Salon, gift card for a new look for the New Year

• The Dirty Gringo, meet your girlfriends for lunch at least once during the holidays

• New Media Outpost, new release DVDs for movie night for the family

• The Place, Get the gang together for a bite to eat. Gift cards

• The Professors Place, great accommodations for your overflow holiday guests

• Twin Bridges Convenience Store, quick lunch stop, lottery tickets, gas cards

• WalMart, flat screen TV or new cell phone or anything else on wish list

• Way Back Inn Bed & Breakfast, convenient accommodations for your overflow holiday guest

• White Gate Inn Bed & Breakfast, book a weekend getaway with no travel hassles.