June 12, 2009 - The Keene Downtown Group (KDG) joins other nation-wide groups in declaring the week of July 1-7, 2009 Keene Independents Week. KDG will celebrate our independence by kicking off the Keene Buy Local Initiative: 10% Shift during this week.
The 10% Shift calls for individuals to spend more of their money locally and at independently owned businesses. Not by spending more, but by redirecting just 10% of what is spent annually to these businesses. Studies find that when money is spent locally, up to three times as much money stays local.
On July 1, Keene Mayor Dale Pregent will officially kick-off the Keene Buy Local Initiative at the Central Square Gazebo at 12:00pm by proclaiming that Keene Independents Week has begun.
"The Keene Downtown Group invites our community to learn more about the 10% Shift during Keene Independents Week activities and in-store promotions," stated Tracy Keating, KDG Buy Local Committee Chair. "We have a reason to celebrate the great local and independent businesses of Keene."
LOCAL T-Shirts are for sale downtown at the Hannah Grimes Marketplace, Life is Sweet, Ted's, Fresh Salad, Monadnock Imaging, and Good Fortune for $10. All proceeds go to the Keene Buy Local Initiative.
Everyone is invited to participate in Independents Week activities, like the Find Your Independents Scavenger Hunt. More information and activities will be coming soon to the Keene Downtown Group website, http://keenedowntown.com, or visit the Keene Independents Week Facebook page.
The 10% Shift is a New England-wide grassroots movement of citizens, businesses, government agencies,and nonprofits working to shift 10% or more of our annual budget from non-local businesses to locally owned and independent businesses.
The 10% Shift website states that if the five million households of New England shifted 10% of their annual budget to local and independently owned businesses, New England would see extraordinary results:
· Expanded Job Creation - Create 48,000 new jobs created which would decrease the New England unemployment rate by 1.5%
· Economic Growth - Generate over $5 billion of increased economic activity in New England
· Entrepreneurial Ventures - Inspire the formation thousands of new entrepreneurial ventures
· Environment Protected - Decrease thousands of tons of greenhouse gas emissions
Enhanced Communities - Revitalize local New England communities
