Support Local Businesses

Dear Community,

In the wake of disasters and deaths that effect our community, who responds? It is again a reminder after the toll that Tropical Storm Irene has taken on Vermont, that the small businesses in our area are the backbone of our hamlets. Bake sales and food drives, small loans and helping hands come quickly from these locally owned enterprises.

It is these same businesses that support the needs of our communities. When the economy falters, as it has done in the last year, the local business owners look beyond the bottom line, staying put in the community while keeping staff on the books. These owners and operators are the same people that coach our kids’ games, sit on the school board, and fill boxes for the food cupboard. These hard working folks are invested in our community like no others.

So why do we forget about them when national chain stores are proposed in town? And who would really be the winners? We not only would lose the character of our community in the mountains, we would lose the very people who ‘Grow a Row’ for the hungry, teach after-school programs, help with the neighbors’ flooded road, console the family who just lost a loved one.

Instead of enticing large, out of town businesses to come and set up shop, we need to develop our unique small business infrastructure even more. We need to buy locally. By doing so, we can voice our opinions about what we want our town to look like. Did you know that by buying from a locally owned business, $68 of every $100 spent stays in the community in the form of taxes, payroll and other expenditures? The same $100 spent at a national chain keeps only $43 in the community and if you buy online, nothing comes home.

For the long term health and sustainability of our community, we urge all citizens to really see what we have before it’s too late. Let’s support our neighbors, strengthen our local economy and enhance our social and economic connections within our community. The future of the Northshire is in all of our hands. Each one of us can make a difference.

Here are several websites to check out for more information:

The 3/50 Project: http://www.the350project.net/home.html

Local First Vermont: http://vbsr.org/index.php/pages/static/cat/local_first_about_us/

Buy Local: http://www.smartgrowthvermont.org/involved/connecttothelandaguidefortakingaction/buylocal/

Here’s to a vibrant and unique community,

Scout Proft and Renee Bornstein

Soapmaking Class - October 8, 2011 3-5pm

Soapmaking Class - Join us for a beginners level soap making class. October 8, 3:00 p.m - 5:00 p.m. Lisa Williams will teach the basic cold process soapmaking method. Learn how to line the molds, properly and safely measure and mix ingredients, naturally scent and color your soap. Using a few basic tools and vegetable based oils, each person will bring home a tray of their own handmade soap! Please bring a soap mold (can be purchased at Manchester Woodcraft), some eye protection (She will have a few extra pairs of goggles on hand), 40 oz of olive oil (more or less is ok!), and if scent is desired, some of your favorite essential oil! Class size will be limited so don't wait. Cost will be $15. Please feel free to email with any questions! Lisa Williams at katmanduzen@aol.com The class will be at 2434 Depot Street, in Manchester, Route 11/30 just past the Eagles Club and before the Perfect Wife. Look for the Acupuncture sign.

Green Drinks and Community Fundraiser - September 27th

Please join us Tuesday, September 27^th at 6:30pm for Green Drinks & a community fundraiser at the Wilburton Inn (River Road, off Historic Route 7A) located on a beautiful hillside property overlooking the Green Mountains in the heart of Manchester, VT. Oliver & Bonnie Levis of Earth SkyTime Community Farm (http://www.earthskytime.com) will be offering a vegetarian feast, straight from the farm, on the Terrace for $20 a plate. Enjoy drinks for $5. Earth SkyTime Community Farm will be donating half of the evenings dinner proceeds to Evening Song Farm in Cuttingsville, VT, which was destroyed during the hurricane. You can learn more about Evening Song Farm by visiting their website http://www.eveningsongcsa.com. Green Drinks is an informal group of community members who wish to engage in environmental issues broadly. For more info on the “local” Green Drinks movement worldwide, visit http://greendrinks.org.

A FARM TO PLATE OPEN FORUM WITH ELLEN KAHLER

Come join us as we welcome Ellen Kahler to the Northshire Bookstore on Friday, September 23. She will present the Farm to Plate Strategic Plan which is culmination of forums and information gathering, over the last 2 years, about our food system in VT. Very exciting that we live in a state that wants to assure our food security in these uncertain times....

JOIN THE CONVERSATION AS THE NORTHSHIRE HOSTS

A FARM TO PLATE OPEN FORUM WITH ELLEN KAHLER

NORTHSHIRE BOOKSTORE, Manchester Center, VT: Join the conversation about Vermont’s local and regional food system Friday, September 23 at 7 pm

Join the conversation as we welcome Executive Director of the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund, Ellen Kahler, who will present the highlights from the statewide, 18-month long Farm to Plate strategic process, which many Bennington County residents participated in. Come learn about the Farm to Plate Strategic Plan that was released this past January and efforts underway all over the state to begin implementing the recommendations contained in the plan. How does Bennington County stack up against what's happening in other parts of the state? How can you get involved? Help us think about ways we can stimulate more local and regional food production and consumption in the greater Manchester area.

Transition Town Manchester will have some fresh local food to snack on as you digest her information.

Don’t miss this opportunity to participate! For more information on this and other events, call 802-362-2200 or 1-800-437-3700, or visit the Northshire Bookstore website at www.northshire.com.