Tuesday, September 9, 2008 10:33 PM CDT
Chamber launches effort to encourage local shopping, community support
By BILL LAIR, Managing Editor
blair@jg-tc.com
CHARLESTON — Bob and Therese Kincade understand that shopping locally helps the community.
The Kincades own What’s Cookin’ restaurant and have directed Charleston High School’s spring musical for several years.
Advertising and donations from local businesses and individuals help make the annual spring musical a quality show, Bob Kincade said.
“It makes for a stronger community,” Kincade said of buying locally. “People in the community have been very supportive of the musical.”
The Charleston Area Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday launched a new “Buy Local — Choose Charleston” campaign.
Chamber officials want to impress upon people that shopping locally not only supports local businesses but those businesses then are able to give back to the community.
Kincade estimated that program ads from local businesses bring in about $2,500 for the high school musical, while individual donations raise about $3,500 for the musical which had a budget of about $15,000 last spring.
“We’re able to reduce the cost to students to participate and pay for things like costumes and lights,” he added.
Therese Kincade said local shopping and business donations offer a “sense of balance.”
“Lots of businesses contribute to things they find interesting, whether it’s athletics or the arts,” she said. “People come to us for donations and we look for them to support that business.
“I give a little, you give a little. It’s that community feeling,” she added.
Larry Rennels, owner of Rennels TV & Appliance, said merchants try to help when they can.
“We get a lot of requests, more than we can contribute to,” he said.
Rennels said requests range from ads in school programs to youth sports team sponsorships, EIU student group fundraisers, silent auction items, medical emergency benefits and drag racing car sponsorships.
“If the merchants are not doing well, they can’t sponsor an activity that makes the community a better place to live,” said Diane Hoadley, past chamber board president and the dean of the Lumpkin College of Applied Sciences.
Hoadley acknowledged that it may not be possible to always buy locally but said money spent locally generates more local income, creates jobs and helps pay for services such as police, fire and parks through sales taxes.
Mike Brown, president of the chamber board, said studies show that money spent with a local business turns over about three times.
“It’s my friends and neighbors I’m supporting,” Brown said of buying locally. “My children play with their children. I would rather give money to people I know than to people I don’t know.”
Cindy Titus, executive director of the chamber, said “Buy Local” promotional materials such as magnets, decals and reusable shopping bags will be available in coming weeks.
Contact Bill Lair at blair@jg-tc.com or 238-6865.
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Early Bird wrote on Sep 10, 2008 4:25 AM: