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Hay River takes shop local effect seriously 10 Wednesday October 21 2015 SMALL BUSINESS WEEK www.averycooper.com Avery Cooper Co. Ltd. Certified General aCCountants 4918-50th St. Laurentian Bldg. Box 1620 Yellowknife NT X1A 2P2 T 867.873.3441 F 867.873.2353 Toll-Free 1.800.661.0787 Lack Experience Rely on ours during small business week. Advising Northerners since 1969. You have worked hardto make your business a success. Come talk to us at Norland Insurance about home auto business and car insurance. So you can focus on your business. Having the right insurance is important to protect it. Speak to an agent today 62 Woodland Dr. 105 Hay River NT X0E 1G1 Phone 867-874-2101 Fax 867-874-3386 Insurance Specialist By CRAIG GILBERT In Hay River staying tuned into the com- munity is just good business. The town of 3500 is full of smart people who understand the value of giving back ac- cording to Steven Anderson owner of a num- ber of businesses and the vice-president of the Hay River Chamber of Commerce. The chamber is proud to have more than 110 members made of local businesses that are part of the community he said adding that throughout Small Business Week the chamber highlighted members by advertis- ing them on their powered billboard and con- gratulating them on their success. We have a very progressive community. Weve got a lot of smart people in town who are business- oriented and work hard. At or near the front of those business brains is the idea that shopping local is good for the entire community. Several municipali- ties and chambers of commerce have pub- lished studies on the bouncing buck effect or the benet of buying local. According to one group in Greater Victoria B.C. for every 100 spent in local stores 68 stays in the community. That compares to only 43 for stores based elsewhere. The exact gures uctuate from place to place across the country and have not been worked out for Hay River but in a small north- ern town the effect can be pronounced. An- derson said many communities in the South Slave are competing with each other and northern Alberta for the travelling shopper. The vice president of the Hay River Chamber of Commerce says buying local is the best way to support business-led charitable programs. Othercommunitieshavesimilarchallenges in terms of drawing people in Anderson ex- plained. People here go to High Level people in High Level go to Grande Prairie who go to Peace River who go to Edmonton. There is the get-out-of-town thing but if you shop out every weekend is that supporting your local community Hay River businesses employ Hay River people and both pay Hay River taxes. Seven of them have banded together to offer Cham- ber Coins. If a company employs 5 10 even 30 people that money is being reinvested and lters down. While those economic benets are trick- ling down from the top several businesses are working from the grassroots up. After donating 500 the companies deliver milk to more than 250 students at three Hay River area schools once a week throughout the school year. That program alone is an 8000 touch and were looking at ways to increase it to ensure kids have a healthy choice to help build a strong body and mind he said. The only way to support that is to shop in the commu- nity where youre at. He was quick to point out the donation came from customers who agreed to round up their purchases to the next dollar more than the store itself but Andersons own Super-A store recently facilitated a 9620 donation to Lights On which provides a healthy safe and active place for youth and teens to go on the weekend. It was more than double what a round-up for Lights On collected in 2013. Its just tremendous Anderson said of his customers many of whom offered to add 5 or 10 to their donation. It gives you a nice warm feeling when you see people re- ally care about it.Filephoto