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the north grenville
TIMES
Reaching by direct mail 9,000 homes and businesses in North Grenville and Merrickville/Wolford www.ngtimes.ca
The Voice of North Grenville
Vol. 4, No 15
April 13, 2016
A week of local energy
The North Grenville Times is Locally Owned and Operated
by David Shanahan This is a special week in North Grenville and surrounding areas. Volunteer Week, the NG Sustainability Fair and Market, and the Shop Local Showcase and a new vision for Kemptville College are all stories in the news this week. Tying them all together is that word “local”. In a world of globalisation, when we can often feel powerless in the face of giant corporations, international trade deals and political unrest, it is good to remember that we live in a healthy, welcoming and potentially sustainable place. We can control so much of our local economy and ecology, and we can start by giving our custom and loyalty to local businesses. When you spend money
in corporate stores, you are often moving it permanently out of this area. Money spent outside the local economy is lost forever. Money spent here is invested in the future health of our community. You need to check the stores and see where the money is going. Is the store, even franchise stores, locally-owned and operated? When you hire someone locally, you spend your money to support your neighbour. They then spend that money in other neighbour’s stores and businesses. They may be able to take on extra employees too, and that keeps the local economy growing. Local employment means more tax money for the services we need from our municipal government. It means fewer people depending on food
banks and social services. Take a look through the Home Improvement pull-out this week and you will be impressed, as I was, at the wealth and breadth of businesses we have available to us here in North Grenville and surrounding area. We are also blessed by a relative abundance of doctors and medical services, restaurants, health and fitness centres, supermarkets and so many other assets. Make use of them. Keep it local. Make sure that the small and medium sized businesses of this community can continue to operate and add their invaluable contribution to the health and vitality of North Grenville. The more I think of the history, heritage, voluntary and service groups, commercial and recreational facilities, sports and leisure
clubs and groups and centres, the potential agricultural development areas, the more optimistic I feel about our shared future. This weekend, head over to the Municipal Centre on Saturday and Sunday, and get some idea of the wealth of talent, entrepreneurial vision and commitment we have in this region. Both events are free admission, thanks, as so often, to the efforts of the many volunteers and business people who put so much into our community. The world may be going somewhere in a wicker basket, but North Grenville, this week at least, is a centre of activism, energy and potential. Celebrate Earth Day and the coming of Spring. Celebrate your neighbours.
Merrickville/ Wolford Times Page 14