Apr 19, 2012 By Devan Grote buy Local Network 3 min read

The Buy Local Network is celebrating two years of successful, sustainable business practices and community involvement.

Since its inception in April of 2010, the Buy Local Network has grown to include over 80 local, independently owned businesses and numerous additional partners.

The Network would not be where it is today, however, without its three main partners: Fay-Penn Economic Development Council, the Herald-Standard and the Greater Connellsville Chamber of Commerce.

As a thank you to all of our Fayette County supporters, we are celebrating our second anniversary this year with a seven-day Earth Week Celebration that began April 16.

The celebration includes a tree planting and landscaping clean-up at Highlands Hospital, the presentation of the Evergreen Award and a free green tea and lemonade happy hour at Bud Murphy’s, an ice cream social at the Ohiopyle Community Center, the MyOWN Equal Pay Day Rally in downtown Uniontown to be held today, a radio broadcast live from the Uniontown Hospital’s Earth Day exhibit Friday, celebrity bartenders and free green tea and lemonade at Bud Murphy’s Saturday and a screening of Earth the DisneyNature film and a community picnic at Penn State Fayette Sunday. For locations and time of the upcoming events, go online to www.buylocalfayette.org. Over 24,000 green Buy Local Community Discount Cards circulate throughout Fayette County and neighboring areas, encouraging people each day to support their community retailers, service providers, and restaurants rather than big box corporate stores. Studies show that for each dollar spent at a locally owned business, 73 percent stays in the community rather than 43 percent if that dollar was spent at a corporate owned store. That’s an extra $30 that stays in Fayette County for each $100 spent.

Over time, that contribution grows and keeps our residents employed and our manufacturers in business. In addition to encouraging people to buy local, the Buy Local Network has funded $3,000 worth of grants to Fayette County non-profit organizations through the Community Reinvestment Fund. With an increase in applications, the Network expects to double that giving in 2012. The Community Reinvestment funds come from a generous $10 per month donation from each of our Buy Local businesses. The fund provides needed capital for non-profit organizations to get an innovative, high-impact project off the ground in Fayette County.

It also connects for-profit businesses to non-profit businesses, creating the collaborative support system that a sustainable community needs to survive.

With two years under its belt, the Buy Local Network is using 2012 as a year to explore new ideas that will advance the Discount Card Program and keep it thriving. We extended the 2010-2011 Discount Card into 2012 in hopes that people will continue to form a habit of using their card at local businesses. It also gives the network a chance to build a more efficient and effective card program for the consumers and businesses in 2013.

All of our Buy Local Card holders should keep an eye out for a new card at the end of 2012.

We encourage Fayette County residents and visitors to immerse themselves in our communities through the Buy Local Network’s many programs and events. We need to take advantage of our local character and unique offerings. Think twice before leaving the house or planning weekend events.

Savor the flavor of Fayette year-round-work, play, and buy local.