I can't think of another section where a thread like that would be appropriate, but if any of the mods have suggestions I'd be happy to listen, because I agree that a merit giveaway should be in a self-modded thread.
I think Beginners & Help won't be a bad place for such like what Nutidah did with
The Bitcointalk Urban Achievers Merit Scholarship Program. Though that thread seems to have been abandoned now.