Margie Creen

Downtown Brookings was hopping Sept. 16, as students and members of the community participated in Take it to the Streets, an event to draw SDSU students downtown.

In its fourth year, 33 businesses participated by offering prizes like gift certificates, jackets, a diamond pendent and a mountain bike.

Patrons went from store to store signing up for prizes and getting a special sheet stamped. Once the sheet was more than half filled, students could turn it in to a drawing for the grand prize: a TV/DVD/VHS combo.

Tom Yseth, owner of the Ram O’Hares, has participated in the event all four years. He gave away Frisbees, samples of the Ramburger and three prizes: a table umbrella, a chair, and a backpack cooler.

This year, Downtown Brookings, Inc., which hosted the event, decided to ditch the pep rally and parade and replace it with a street dance and a live band.

“They’re trying a different spin to get student involvement,” Yseth said.

Doris Roden, program manager of DBI, said that they wouldn’t have a street dance next year, because not very many people were interested in it. However, she said business owners were pleased with the turn-out.

“The students seemed to have fun … We want it to grow,” Roden said. “SDSU students have a very positive impact on our community. We want to say ‘welcome, thank you, shop with us and think about living in Brookings after graduation.'”