Minto Chamber of Commerce president Glen Hall hopes to get more bang for his buck … or in this case … a Minto Buck … as part of the Buy Local campaign starting in January.
Hall spoke to Minto councillors on Dec. 16 to provide an update on the chamber’s promotional campaign.
He said it’s always exciting to come … especially at the close of a decade.
“The chamber of commerce has had a very exciting year and we’re heading into 2010 even more excited.”
Hall noted one of the handouts was a copy of a letter going to the chamber membership, outlining the accomplishments of 2009.
Some of that included:
– a sold out 10th anniversary event at the Pike Lake Golf Course Restaurant;
– first annual community group award presented to all three area food banks (Clifford, Harriston and Palmerston). Other nominees included local Legions and agricultural societies.
– the Summer Shopping Spree as the town’s Christmas elf took a vacation in Minto. Over $1,500 in prizes were given out;
– the Christmas Shopping Spree of $500. As well the chamber elves participated in all three Christmas parades.;
– the chamber presented an HST?information with Perth-Wellington MPP / Minister of Revenue John Wilkinson at the Norgan Theatre;
– an OPP?Fraud Detection Seminar and Marketing Seminars held during Small Business Week;
– involvement in the STARS awards;
– the Rural Economic Development funding to assist the chamber in promoting Minto and providing training sessions for the membership;
– and, the annual business directory was delivered to all Minto households.
The other piece of the puzzle, Hall said, was the Minto Chamber of Commerce getting two grants totalling $20,000.
The first grant was to hire an intern to act as promotions coordinator for the chamber from December to March. That intern is Caitlin Hall of Harriston.
The second grant, Glen Hall said, is for a Local Initiatives Program to create a Minto First Buy-Local Campaign which includes:
– a shopping bag promotion, which will put a bag into each Minto household along with incentives to buy local;
– a Minto Bucks promotion, to be launched in January, to provide bucks to be spent exclusively at Minto Chamber of Commerce businesses;
He explained the program will help people buy in Minto.
Down the road, Hall expected that residents will be able to buy Minto bucks and purchase items locally, at a bit of a discount.
“There will be a lot of things happening.”
He noted post cards have been distributed to encourage people to shop Minto first.
“I just wanted to make sure the town of Minto, and council in particular is up to date on what we are doing in 2009 and in 2010 which will be a very busy year.”
Deputy Mayor Judy Dirksen noted something not mentioned – the gift tags.
“They are incredible.”
Hall said the tags are just another way in the Christmas season to let people know the items were purchased locally.
