Did you know that if every person in the Wood River Valley redirected just $100 of the money that they spend each month out-of-area or online back to local Wood River Valley businesses, that would translate into over $1 million spent at local businesses?
These businesses are an important part of what makes our area the wonderful place that it is to live and work and play and they certainly do their part to give back. Did you know that local businesses contribute over $1 million to local non-profits every year, donate over $500,000 in products or services and commit to 20,000 volunteer hours? Without our independent businesses, who would employ most of us who live here, what would this valley community be like?
In an effort to remind valley business owners and residents as to the strength of their "voting power" each time they shop online or outside of the valley, the Sun Valley-Ketchum Chamber & Visitors Bureau, Hailey Chamber of Commerce, Bellevue Chamber of Commerce, Ketchum Retailers Alliance and the South Valley Merchants Alliance are pleased to announce that June will be "Shop Mom and Pop" Month. This campaign is not limited to supporting retail establishments but includes all of the service industry: insurance, automobile needs, restaurants, locally made products, graphic designers, lawyers, accountants and many more.
As part of the overall campaign, we will present a special screening of the poignant documentary, "Independent America: The Two Lane Search for Mom & Pop" at the Liberty Theatre in Hailey on Friday, June 15, at 6:30 p.m. Following the presentation there will be wine and discussion with local business owners. To see a trailer of the movie, view www.independentamerica.net.
We hope you will join us and make an extra effort to "Shop Mom and Pop," not just for the month of June but throughout the year. Local businesses will be proudly displaying "Shop Mom and Pop" window decals, and handing out "I shopped local today" stickers to all customers. And, as always, they will be doing their best to provide the products and services you need and want at competitive prices with personalized service.
Carol Waller
Executive Director
Sun Valley-Ketchum Chamber & Visitors Bureau
