Please let me explain.....
I have a female Akita who is about 8 years old named Keiko. My readers from Keene NH have likely seen me walking her around town a time or two : )
On Sunday there was a Dog Walk to raise money for the Monadnock Humane Society. What better activity could there possibly be for me and the kids to do on a Sunday afternoon than that!
Now, I admit I'm a little biased, but nearly every time I take this dog out in public a total stranger will tell me what I beautiful dog she is. It's gotten to the point that I almost feel snubbed on the rare occasion that we make it home unnoticed. As usual, a nice lady at the event approached me to share some accolades but this time she went a little further to tell me of a wonderful book she had just finished that I absolutely "HAD to read". She explained that the book was called "Dog Man" and it was a wonderful story about a man who saved the Akita breed in Japan after WWII. I had never heard this, but I found out that the Akitas in Japan had nearly all been killed off or eaten by the Japanese people and military during the war.
I quickly came home and ordered the book on Indiebound.org (am Amazon alternative that will allow you to shop and purchase books online but pick them up at your local independent book seller). The next day I picked up the book at the Toadstool Bookstore (no shipping!) and have been reading it to the kids all week. So one community event resulted in at least one local sale that I can validate.
At any rate, one of the vendor tents at the event was a fundraising table for the Keene Dog Park. A local non profit that is 2/3 of the way to raising enough money to open a place where dog lovers in the community can bring their dogs to run and play with other dogs while their owners have a chance to network and associate with other Canine lovers! They were selling bumper stickers that had apparently been printed up (for free) by a local printer Gem Graphics so that 100% of the proceeds would go to the construction of the new park.
Why would my friend Steve (the owner of Gem Graphics) donate time, materials and printing to the Keene Dog Park? Other than the fact that he is probably a dog lover, I would submit that it's because Steve is not only community minded but a very good business man.
The Keene Dog Park means that customers from all over the Monadnock Region will have a good reason to come to Keene at least once a week. They will probably stop by Brewbakers for a cup of coffee on the way, or perhaps drop by Joe Peanuts for lunch on their way home. Maybe they will think of some other goods or services that they need while they are in town (I just hope they don't go to Walmart). Are you connecting the dots yet?
When visiting the Keene Dog Park website tonight, I was not surprised to find NINE other local independent businesses helping the cause by selling the stickers that Gem Graphics had printed up in their stores.
They can't all be dog lovers can they? Maybe, maybe not, but they are members of this community and what's good for us, is good for them AND vice verse. In fact, anyone who spends a little time researching the benefits of buying locally will undoubtedly come across the documented evidence that when you buy local you help to make your community more unique and more attractive. This sounds plausible, but it does my heart good when I actually see it playing itself out in real life.
I can guarantee one thing.... supporting the construction of a dog park in Keene, NH does not fit in to the marketing plans of corporate executives, nor the expectations of the stock holders with Walmart, Target, The Olive Garden etc.
But it matters to the following members of our community, your friends and our neighbors. When you support them, you are supporting yourself.
One Stop Country Pet Supply
Pocketful of Rye
Horse and Buggy Feeds
Snooty Pooch Pet Grooming
Nicole and Bonnie's Professional Hair and Nail Care
Fritz
Your Kitchen Store
Paws to Groom
Toadstool Bookshop (in Keene)
Keiko and I THANK YOU!
© 2011 PayLessFirst
Excellent blog on why keeping $$$'s in the community is important. Many thanks.
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