Going Local Is Not a Trend

One thing we need to always remember, and I tell this to others as well as school children in a classroom, is "Going Local" isn't a fad or the latest "trend." It's what we all need to focus our attention on, as much as possible. For rural communities especially, buying local helps with our town's infrastructure-- we complain that our cities seem to ignore fixing pot holes, and other things. It costs money, and if you buy local it supports the tax base to get those things done. It also helps our school systems and teacher's salaries. 

The second part of "going local" is it supports entrepreneurs and their visions. A friend told me that a particular dollar store brand was in the southern part of the United States and eventually ran out many locally owned stores. When they went belly up and bankrupt, they moved out with NO thought or LOYALTY to the community they were leaving. In doing so, they left the communities high and dry and with another empty building.

Entrepreneurs invest in their communities. They are risk takers taking huge chances, and they've chosen to invest in their communities. Yesterday, I spoke at length with an entrepreneur in one of the communities. She had told me that she has owned her store for many years and has little support from the local people let alone the city governing agencies in town. She said that it's all the outside people on trips that stop in and give her business or those looking at destinations trips that come and support her. She barely can make ends meet now, but is following her dream and providing a service to the community. The local economic development offices look to fill their lil strip malls because of investors and little else is done for commercial businesses.

We all or most of us live on budgets. That is a given. But we'll drive and spend gas to save a couple dollars. We are still going to do that but think first. Can I buy that at home or eat there and help our local economy and help a local business? Just think first is all I'm asking. We've got to encourage others and our children to #golocal if we want our communities to survive and thrive.
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Food for thought today,
Joan