We all know local businesses provide us with the goods and services we need, but we often forget or are unaware of all the other ways they benefit us.
Local businesses in Chase provide full- and part-time employment for many people. In many cases, local employers provide our youth with their first jobs, training and providing them with highly valued job experience. They also employ older semi-retired workers.
Did you ever wonder how our many local organizations raise the funds needed to support programs, facilities and special events for the benefit of residents? Certainly all of us support fundraisers with our attendance and participation, but who provides the prizes and auction items, and handles costs associated with holding the fundraiser? Every week, most local businesses are approached multiple times with requests for donations of goods or money to support various worthy local causes. This results in donations of many thousands of dollars each year, which are critical to the survival of the service clubs, schools and sports groups, seniors’ organizations, public institutions and medical charities.
Local businesses are also taxed at a higher rate than residential. These funds go to pay for the many amenities enjoyed by all citizens in the community.
Business owners are pleased to be able to support the community but, in order to do so, they need support. When residents leave the community to shop, the ability of local businesses to support our community is greatly reduced.
Local business owners do their best to provide the goods that customers need and want at an affordable price. Because we have a small population, our local businesses often cannot buy goods in the large quantities needed to purchase them as cheaply as can businesses with a larger customer base. Despite this, actual item-by-item cost comparisons indicate that, in most cases, local businesses offer identical or comparable products at the same or even lower prices than many businesses in the city.
Next time you decide to shop in the city for items available locally, take a few minutes to research first. Take into consideration the additional costs (monetary, environmental and time) of driving to the city. Also, please think about how you or your organization has benefited directly or indirectly from the generosity of local business owners.
The Chase Chamber of Commerce and its members are working hard on new plans to improve service to you. Please help us to develop the local economy so that we can continue to give back to our community.
- Submitted by Chase and District Chamber of Commerce.