This holiday season, the municipality of Bethel Park has a new campaign to encourage shopping locally.
“When community groups and organizations need donations, they often turn to small businesses for support,” said Tim Moury, Bethel Park Council president. “These local businesses are always willing to help out. They support us, so we need to support them not just now, but all year ’round.”
Through Dec. 22, the municipality’s Shop Local campaign offers chances to win a different weekly $100 gift card by simply shopping at a Bethel Park business, taking a photo outside of the establishment with a receipt, and sharing it under a special pinned post on the Municipality of Bethel Park Facebook page.
Every Friday throughout the campaign, a winner will be selected randomly, and a new gift card prize will be available the following Monday.
The campaign’s weekly prizes started with a gift card for Evey True Value Hardware, and other participating businesses include Reginald’s Coffee, Bethel Bakery, Pasta Too and The Pottery Place. Additionally, South Park Shops’ “Buffalo Bucks” will be distributed the last week of the campaign.
“For every dollar spent in the community, 70 cents stays there,” said Diana Alberter, Bethel Park’s director of grants and redevelopment coordinator.
“We want local businesses to know that we’re invested in their success and the success of the community,” she said. “This was the impetus for creating Bethel Park’s Economic Development Committee to serve as a resource for local businesses, including identifying potential grant funding to advance their success.”
The municipality also has a Shop Dine Support page on www.bethelpark.net that lists Bethel Park businesses.
“We want our local business community to send us their information to be included,” said Moury. “Ultimately, we’d love to have every Bethel Park business listed on the page.”
Bethel Park businesses interested in having a listing on the page, along with any holiday specials, can email kindness@bethelpark.net.
“When I was asked to be part of the Shop Local planning team, I was thrilled because it showed how much the municipality cares about small business,” said Andy Amrhein, Evey True Value Hardware owner. “Small Business Saturday has actually become bigger for me than Black Friday. Over the past 20 years, our customers have learned about the importance of that day.
“And now to have their support, as well as the municipality’s, shows me that everyone recognizes how important small businesses are to the community. In fact, the local community and the country couldn’t survive without thriving local businesses.”
The $100 prize gift cards were made possible through a grant from the Bethel Park Community Foundation. South Park Shops donated $100 in Buffalo Bucks.