Commentary by Jack Wolcott

This is a time of year when it is easy to lose perspective of what is important in one's life and the role others play in making life rewarding. If we can just slow down a little and look around, it is also quite easy to notice all the modest things that people do every day, and yet often go unnoticed or unappreciated.

On behalf of the Corvallis Independent Business Alliance, I would like to acknowledge the genuine support we receive every day and the words of encouragement offered as we strive to serve our community to the best of our ability. We know our customers have to make a conscious and deliberate decision to shop with us; just as we have to carefully decide on the right mix of products that we feel our community wants and will support. During the balance of the year, it is sometimes easy to forget how mutually beneficial these two components are: two halves of a greater whole.

This interaction between the love of doing business locally with friends and neighbors and you recognizing and supporting our efforts is a major source for the passion to do the very best we can for our community, our business and ourselves. By working together, we keep the money locally, where it benefits those who spent it in the first place — you.

There are more and more studies being done nationally that verify that locally owned, independently operated business generate 70 percent more local impact per square foot than national retailers. For every $100 spent at a local business, $73 is created in additional local economic activity, while spending $100 at a chain store only generates $43 worth of local impact. I will be discussing these studies early next year, but if you would like to learn more now, please visit Civic Economics at http://www.civiceconomics.com/Andersonville/ or the Institute for Local Self-Reliance at http://www.ilsr.org/ and subscribe to its newsletter, the Hometown Advantage.

These two organizations are part of an emerging national effort to help smaller towns maintain control, or at least a carefully considered voice, in how their communities are developed as the national retailers move their fight for total market share into the smaller and less populated areas. We in Corvallis are fortunate to have the benefit of their research as we make our decisions on the quality and diversity of life we will hand down to our children.

During the holiday season, we are blessed to see so many laughing, smiling faces, looking for a special gift for someone who has enriched their life or perhaps someone in need of a reassuring and supportive reminder of how important they are. We get to see people rediscovering old friends, making new acquaintances over shared favorites, and simply realizing the true significance of the season.

And for all of us, one of the true delights is being able to make the perfect suggestion for a distant relative or friend. This is when we really know we are making a difference in the world just by being here, being ourselves and being receptive to what is asked of us.

Thanks again for letting us be part of your lives. We hope you had a peaceful holiday, and we want to wish everyone a happy New Year!
lars, 7:25 AM [link]