February 2006
| February 2006 Newsletter |
|
Welcome to Cambridge Local First We welcome our members to Cambridge Local First and hope you enjoy this first edition of the Cambridge Local First monthly newsletter which will share the news about our young organization. We welcome your ideas and suggestions as we grow. The Newsletter will list articles and announcements, and this initial one is jam-packed with info so please take a few minutes and check it out |
| Cambridge Local First is 75 Members Strong |
|
We are thrilled with the enthusiastic response Cambridge businesses have had for Cambridge Local First and for our rapid growth. We began signing up members in October of 2005 and we are excited to announce that, as of this writing, we have 75 business members and are well on our way to that magic number of 100. We encourage everyone to make recruiting new members a natural part of our day to day business and life activities. Talking with your friends and associates is the best way to bring in new members. Our goal is to have over 300 members, and we think with everyone's help we can do this. Thanks for your support. |
| The Cambridge Local First Story |
|
Cambridge Local First and the Responsible Business Association (RBA) are hosting a public presentation on Wednesday, March 1 from 7-9:00 pm at Cambridge Savings Bank in Harvard Square. It will feature an interactive panel discussion and include light refreshments. It is free for Cambridge Local First members and $10 for others. An email announcement with more details will be sent out soon. The panel will feature the following Cambridge business leaders: Frank Kramer, Harvard Book Store Simon Shapiro, Tags Hardware Michael Kanter, Cambridge Naturals Louise Ciampi, Clothware Sally Lesser, Henry Bear's Park |
| Cambridge Local First Leadership |
The Cambridge Local First leadership is a group of Cambridge business owners who have been meeting since the summer of 2005. If you are interested in participating in the leadership please contact Laury. *Kathy Botindari, Colonial Drug *Louise Ciampi, Clothware *Lee Joseph, Easy Chairs Antiques *Michael Kanter, Cambridge Naturals *Frank Kramer, Harvard Book Store *Sally Lesser, Henry Bear's Park *Gus Rancatore, Toscinini's *Dave Reed, Ambit Press *Simon Shapiro, Tags Hardware *Dale Szcebiowski, Porter Square Books *Gerry Wolf, 1369 Coffee House *Laury Hammel, Coordinator. Co-Founder of BALLE |
| Web Site |
|
Our web site is CambridgeLocalFirst.org or CambridgeLocalFirst.com. At the moment there is a page within the BALLE web site describing our organization and explaining that the web site is under construction. BALLE is an international network of locally-owned and independent businesses committed to building strong local economies. Our own web site will be up and running by the end of February and we welcome your comments as we customize it to meet the needs of our membership. |
| `Independent America' Screening |
|
In April, Cambridge Local First will be hosting a fundraiser for the Brattle Theatre. We will be showing the film `Independent America' and asking for donations of $10 or more. The film does a great job of addressing the challenges locally-owned businesses face in today's world of chains and big box stores. We'll keep you posted as things get firmed up. |
| Decals, Brochures, and Spreading the Word |
|
Putting the Cambridge Local First decal prominently on your door or window and distributing our brochures are extremely important actions which are critical to the long term success of Cambridge Local First. Please make every effort to display your decal proudly (preferably at eye height) and pass out those brochures to your customers. |
| BALLE National Conference in Burlington, VT |
|
Cambridge Local First is a member of the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE) which is a network of locally-owned businesses in the US and Canada. Their Fourth International Conference will be held in nearby Burlington, VT on June 7-10, 2006 and it is shaping up to be an inspiring event for any business person interesting in improving their business and contributing to the community. Click here to go the BALLE web site and find out more about this conference. |
|
