Local businesses are hurting. We know this and we’ve got to help. Many local businesses are owned, operated or run by neighbors, friends and family. Many of them are as close as ever to being without their jobs and businesses. Yet, we continue to see the parade of delivery trucks marching up and down the streets dropping off brown boxed packages, sometimes as many 3 or 4 times a day to the same address! And they’re not all neighbors. Go ahead and admit you too are ordering online. It’s easier and quicker than ordering locally. Really?

Maybe it’s time to do something. Maybe it’s not all about convenience it’s about doing the right thing. Ok, maybe some local businesses should not be in business, after all you being a titan of industry know better. Really?

Local businesses create jobs, many of which are filled by locals, maybe even your neighbor. These jobs help fuel the economy, they create a tax base from which we all rely. Do you like nice parks, safe streets, lighted roadways, and quick response rate to emergencies? Those taxes generated help pay for those services. Without the ability to generate tax revenue from that last fill-up at the local gas station, or the sales tax paid when you buy your Starbucks those services we’ve come to expect can’t exist.

Just think about it and maybe the next time you’re ready to click checkout and you hit complete on your transaction you could take another minute to consider this.

Most all of us want a better place to live and raise our children or just enjoy life. It’s natural to also want something better for our children, to find a little happiness. If this pandemic has taught us anything it’s that we must be considerate of each other. We must care enough to be mindful of our actions and to take steps to consider the effect of our online actions. Many local merchants have excellent online presence and make it easy to go online and buy local. Please consider this the next time you feel the need to buy online. Support your local businesses any way possible.

Thank you to all of you who have taken the time to respond to the Chamber’s newsletters, social media posts, email blasts, polls and published stories. We are listening and we are committed to representing and building our business community.

The New Year is close and with this comes hope for more. More good news than bad, more friends than enemies, more family, laughs, naps, reading for fun, appreciation of the arts, good podcasts, day dreams and you fill in the blank...

We here at the Chamber wish you all good health, happiness and love during the Holidays and throughout all of next year. Get ready for 2021, it’s going to be better.