On Saturday July 25th, Jocelyn and I will shop local in St Albert. I’ll purchase flowers for Jocelyn from Charmed Floral Design (win/win) and head over to Grandin Bakery to pick up sausage rolls and the best tasting Maple Donuts in the world. We’re Big Spend Friends and we hope you’ll become one too.
Local Businesses
Local small businesses make our communities run. They support community events and sponsor sports teams. Local businesses also provide nearly 70% of all private sector jobs in Canada.
They have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, and we want to support their recovery in the same way they have supported our communities time and again.
Big Thinking
Tim Schindel, of Leading Influence, is a big thinker. The Big Spend is naturally, his idea. Tim says, “In my work, I get to meet with and support leaders from across Canada. Kick-starting our economy is on ALL of their minds. The Big Spend bec
ame an intensely practical, and I might add, easy way to help Canada start down the road to recovery in every city across our nation.” Tim dreamed of seeing $100 million added to the Canadian economy in one day of spending.
So, I became a part of Tim’s small group, organizing a one-day event called the Big Spend. The Big Spend is meant to be more than a symbolic gesture of hope. It is a practical step we can take as part of a larger action plan for economic recovery in Canada.
Churches, Chambers of Commerce, local businesses, community organizations have been signing up. Even Canadian celebrities joined in the cause.
Benefits
When we add the benefits of buying local to the positive impact of what economists call the “multiplier effect” we help create a snowball of growth for our communities, and our country as a whole. Community organizations, chambers of commerce, churches and Canadians across the country will be part of this special effort to help kick start the Canadian economic recovery process.
Cold Lake Alberta
Pastor Mark McMillan in Cold Lake Alberta is one example of what can happen when a pastor decides to motivate his church to support local business. “When the church first heard about the Big Spend Event we knew we wanted to be involved. Our mission at Cold Lake Community Church is to be empowered by the Holy Spirit to share God’s love. Supporting our local businesses is one practical way that we can show our support and love our neighbours in these uncertain times. I called the local Chamber of Commerce where we were greeted with great enthusiasm and they offered for us to be co-sponsors of the event for our local community alongside with the Chamber. We have been promoting it online in conjunction with the Cold Lake Chamber of Commerce and through the church. We hope to see the community band together to support our local business community.”
Become a Big Spend Friend
You can become a Big Spend Friend today. Sign up here. Shop local on July 25th. Take a selfie that the business where you shop. Let the business owner know you are a part of the Big Spend. Than report the amount you purchased on the Big Spend site.
Leave a comment at the bottom of this page if you have become a Big Spend Friend and where you plan to shop on the 25th. Thank you!
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Jocelyn and I had such a good time on July 25th going to local businesses and asking if they heard about the Big Spend. Only Mandi at Charmed Floral had heard of it. We are just getting started with this initiative. We learned so much since launching the idea on May. What I liked most was the opportunity for churches to be seen as champions of local business. As a pastor, I often asked for support from businesses and this was a real opportunity to help them in their time of need. Watch for the date of the next Big Spend.