ESCANABA — During this difficult time, we know our community members are looking for ways to support businesses in our waterfront community. The Delta County Chamber of Commerce is thankful for the opportunity to partner with the Community Foundation for the first wave of our “Save Now, Shop Local Later” promotion. This promotion will add extra value to Chamber gift certificate purchases. For every $25 worth of gift certificate ordered, shoppers will receive an additional $5. Receiving the “Save Now, Shop Local Later” promotion is simple. Your $25 purchase will automatically become a $30 certificate or could be split up into smaller increments (i.e. 3- $10 Certificates) to easily be spent at any of our 600 member businesses.

As we are all aware, COVID-19 has put a damper on fun events like birthday, anniversary, and wedding celebrations. What better gift to give a loved one, than a gift that also supports our local community? Think of your local jeweler, landscaper, restaurant and others, that give and give again to various charitable events held throughout the year. It is our goal to stand with them as we all navigate these uncharted waters.

Have you been thinking of a way to pay it forward to a favorite hairdresser, babysitter, family friend, employee or co-worker who has been struggling with lost revenue during the Stay Home Stay Safe Order? This is a perfect solution to brighten their day, lighten their load and support Delta County Businesses. It is a win – win and let’s be honest, we all need some small wins right about now.

When approached by a few community-minded individuals (thanks Kelly, and Ann) about similar campaigns that were created around the country, we knew that this would be a great option for our members, provided we could find the right partner. At the top of our list was the Community Foundation for Delta County. The mission of the Community Foundation for Delta County is to make Delta County a better place to work, play and live and to adhere to the directions from its donors now and in the future. The foundation provides leadership, including growing and managing “permanent endowments from a wide range of donors and making grants to meet changing community needs. Executive Director, Cheryl Andzejewski, was quick to jump on board stating, “I’m in! You can count on the Community Foundation. I think it is a great idea; any way we help our Delta County businesses, helps all of us!”

The Chamber offers gift certificates year-round to encourage local shopping which, in turn, strengthens our economy and supports business growth which has never been more important than it is now. Chamber gift certificates spend like cash at any of our over 600 Chamber member businesses. There is no service fee and no additional cost to our members.

To place an order, email info@deltami.org or leave a message at 906-212-5406. Certificates can be mailed or available for no-contact pickup at 1001 N Lincoln Road. If you are interested in the possibility of sponsoring a second wave of our “Save Now, Shop Local Later” campaign, email sheila@deltami.org.

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Sheila Krueger is associate director of the Delta County Chamber of Commerce