It’s the busiest week in September!
The Sturgis Chamber has been especially hoppin’ lately because this is not only Sturgis Scoopers Homecoming week (2009 alumna here – GO SCOOPS!), but also the week of four of our Chamber events! In light of all this hometown activity, this week I want to say a few words from the heart on the topic of supporting our community. I’ve compiled a simple 5-step guide to ensuring our community keeps growing and flourishing:
Veronica’s Simple 5-Step Guide to Keeping Sturgis Great
Step 1: Attend anything and everything in the community.
This one is especially important this week as we observe Homecoming and show our town’s youth the importance of hometown pride. Over the years we have all see a trend towards going home right after work, flipping on our favorite tv streaming apps, and making a night of it in our coziest loungewear. I am no less guilty of this than anyone else, but I have been personally dedicated to getting out of this rut in the past year. If we do not attend the hometown football games, fundraisers, concerts, and socials, our town’s youth will not see the point in it, either. Before many more years have passed, we will not HAVE any of these events at all! Since our local events and activities are the cornerstone of what makes Sturgis the wonderful community we call home, let’s band together and make a resolution to minimize our tv streaming and maximize our community presence.
Step 2: Become a local philanthropist.
Most of us hear the word “philanthropist” and think of an elderly, wealthy man or woman with money to spare amassed over a lifetime. This is not the case! A philanthropist can donate as much or as little as he or she can afford. Take time to make a plan to start your philanthropic journey by setting aside $25, $50, $100 each month – whatever you can afford – and donating those funds to your favorite nonprofit or charity. Starting small and working your way up will ensure that your philanthropy is sustainable and truly makes a difference over the course of your lifetime. What better legacy to leave than that of a generous and kind community member.
Step 3: Tune-in to our local government.
You are probably not surprised to hear that at any given local government meeting, the attendance tends to be on the sparse side – young people are especially few and far between. This is bad news for our communities! We are all frustrated with the state of national politics and the collective lack of understanding of current events, not to mention social, economic, and other issues. The first step to turning this problem around is to tune-in locally, attend City Council meetings (they are even streamed live on social media now!), or check out what the County Commission is all about. The more we pay attention to the issues at hand and the decisions being made, the better our community and our nation will be.
Step 4: As often as possible, shop local.
This step is not a new concept – shopping local ensures that we will continue to have shops to shop local at! Not only this, but the sales tax revenue earned from shopping locally helps support a myriad of City and other organizational operations throughout Sturgis. If we lose our local shops, we will also start losing the maintenance, infrastructure, and amenities that we value so much as residents. The rule of thumb is – if you can purchase it locally, do it! It is well worth a quick trip across town to keep a shop in business.
Step 5: Spread the word!
This is the simplest step of all. All you need to do is share these ideas with your friends, your spouses, your kids, and your co-workers. If you set the example, others will follow suit! Together we can make an enormous difference in the lives of every single resident of Sturgis, as well as our visitors.
Not so bad, right? Start by picking ONE community event to attend this week, set aside a bit of money to donate this month, and mark down the next City Council meeting on your calendar. Take time to purchase your groceries locally. Tell a friend what you’ve done, and the positive change it can spark. If everyone in our community did these five things, we could make an incredible impact and set a phenomenal example for our youth.
Sincerely,
Veronica Grosek
Executive Director
Sturgis Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau