FARMINGTON — Sometimes the most precious Christmas gifts are not wrapped in colorful paper and tied with ribbons and bows.

That’s what the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors thought when some members offered to fill in and cover for the chamber office staff Thursday and Friday.

“We thought time with friends and family would be a more meaningful gift,” Jennifer Eriksen said Friday as she manned the Wilton Road chamber center. “We wanted to do something to give back.”

Executive Director Stacie Bourassa and her assistant, Marc Relford, were given the extra time, allowing them a five-day weekend. They will be back to work Tuesday morning.

In order to do that, approximately eight board members took turns covering the office for an hour or two so the staff could have the time off and the chamber office could be open for regular hours, according to Eriksen.

“You have such a stack of your own personal commitments to contend with, and I cannot believe that you came together as a group to coordinate this truly special holiday gift for Marc and I,” Bourassa wrote in a thank-you to board members.

Relford left board members with a “cheat sheet” on how to cover the basics, including sales of the chamber’s popular gift certificate program, Chamber Bucks.

Available in amounts of $5, $10, $25 and $50, gift recipients can redeem the chamber bucks at participating businesses. The chamber bucks are available all year and are offered to encourage people to shop locally.

A popular item over the Christmas season and for those “hard-to-shop-for” people, the certificate program kept thousands of dollars in the local area last year as individuals and some businesses bought Chamber Bucks for their employees.

One new addition to the chamber this year is the 24-hour kiosk just inside the chamber door on the Wilton Road. The kiosk offers information about Franklin County, chamber members and upcoming events, Eriksen said as she demonstrated how a quick touch of the screen showcased what the local area has to offer.

Volunteers helped construct a lighted foyer where visitors can stop anytime and check the chamber’s website at the kiosk and find the chamber welcome guide, brochures and maps.

Visitor information on lodging, restaurants, local events and real estate is available with the touch of a finger.

The foyer is open and lit all night, and there are plans for a lighted sign to announce the availability of visitor information.

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