Page 2 - ShopLocalWestman_Spreads

B2 SHOP WESTMAN WESTMAN THIS WEEK THE BRANDON SUN n THURSDAY JUNE 24 2021
n
n

BY COLIN SLARK in which you live.” efforts to seek out businesses where they can spend money.”
This isn’t the case for all businesses, but as a cooperative, Not only does shopping locally keep money in the area, he
Manitoba’s COVID-19 vaccination rates are getting to the Heritage Co-op sends its profits back to its members in the said, but it also helps contribute to local taxes, which are in
point where the lifting of health form of equity payments. Other than employing approximately turn used to pay for maintenance and improvements to public
restrictions are in sight, but it’s still too early to become 500 people in Westman who will use their wages at other services.
complacent about the effects the virus has had on the province. Westman businesses, Heritage Co-op sends money back out to Additionally, the money used to employ people locally gives
Letting our guards down around the virus doesn’t just put the people it serves. them the freedom to volunteer for local sports, activities,
people’s health at risk, but also the health of locally owned and However, it’s not just customers that have a part to play in fundraise, boards and more outside of their workplace.
operated businesses. shopping locally. “All of those things become important in building that sense
It’s been a rollercoaster for businesses in the 16 months since “The pandemic has forced the entire world, for lack of a of community,” Cooper said. “I also think it’s critical that when
the virus was first detected in Manitoba. better term, to limit travel,” Laing said. we talk about shopping local that we don’t let business off the
A fairly mild first wave of the pandemic saw businesses start “To really be thankful for what we have in our own local hook.
to be able to reopen before the second wave hit hard, causing communities and the support we have experienced has been Businesses also have a responsibility to shop where they live
some businesses to have to close entirely while others had their outstanding. In return, we as a business have been really grateful and support other local businesses.”
operations scaled back. for the other local businesses that we can source product from Cooper believes that in a community the size of Brandon,
Just as things seemed to be improving earlier this year, the or contract to do things for us. It’s really put a focus on working it’s hard for someone not to know some of the people working
third wave hit even harder than the second, again forcing together with our neighbours for the betterment of the entire in local businesses. When you shop locally, you’re frequently
businesses to close or operate under heavy restrictions. community.” giving a helping hand to friends and family.
Surviving these challenges has required businesses to Laing believes that as the pandemic comes to an end, there “They in turn support you because of the things they do in
cultivate the support and hard earned dollars from local will be almost certainly be lessons learned and new practices the community,” he said.
customers and convince them not to spend outside of the developed by businesses that will carry on while other practices At the Brandon Sun, publisher Jim Mihaly doesn’t want local
community. revert to the way things used to be done. businesses’ plights to be ignored in their time of need.
At Heritage Co-op, newly-appointed general manager The importance of shopping locally hasn’t been lost on new “As the local paper and a direct link to businesses in the
Dennis Laing told the Sun he’s worked for eight different Co- Brandon Chamber of Commerce president Barry Cooper, Westman region, we can’t stress enough the need for individuals
ops across Canada and saw the importance of shopping locally who addressed the topic during the presidential changeover to shop local whether it bee online or in-person,” he said. “At
even before the pandemic. ceremony in early June where he took over from outgoing times we take our local businesses for granted thinking they
“Supporting local is a high part of what makes our business president Spencer Day. will always be there when needed.
different,” Laing said. “It can be cascaded in so many ways. “I said last week — and I meant it — that I am incredibly Well, they need your support throughout the course of a year,
From a business perspective, supporting local means we invest humbled and appreciative that people have gone so out of their now more than ever!”
our profits back into the communities in which we live, work way to look for ways that they can support local companies,”
and play. From a consumer level, supporting local business Cooper told the Sun in a June 14 interview. “With all of the » cslark@brandonsun.com
means that your dollars are helping support the communities roadblocks put in front of them to buy local, they’re still making » Twitter: @ColinSlark

ENTER
ONLINE OR
DROP OFF ENTRY
FORM AT THE
BRANDON SUN

OFFICE

SHOP WESTMAN

Contest

OVER $500 IN PRIZES TO BE WON!

ND
DRAW TO BE MADE ON JULY 2 , 2021

Contest Entry Form

NAME: ________________________________________________________________________________________________
ADDRESS: _____________________________________________________________________________________________
PHONE: _______________________________________________________________________________________________

Rules: Simply find the “hidden” letters in the ads throughout this feature. Once you find all 15 letters, unscramble them into the 4 word phrase as shown above. To enter, either visit
www.brandonsun.com/surveys and fill out our online entry form or clip out the printed entry form in your paper and drop it off to our Brandon Sun Office located at 501 Rosser
Avenue from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday-Friday. Entry deadline is June 30th at 11:59 PM. Must be 18 years or older to enter. One entry per person. No purchase necessary.

Draw to be made Monday, July 2, 2021. The Brandon Sun will not barter or share any of this information with other organizations.

Sponsored by: