Contributed by Josh Fryfogle
As I sit here in Juneau, Alaska, the state capital, I am grateful to know people like Denise Statz. She is among the many business owners who have supported the Vote Local campaign over these last few years, and I am honored to continue those efforts here in Juneau - with her support, and that of so many locally-owned businesses.
Who Let The Girls Out is a cultural expression of local business, and the vision of Denise Statz. It’s more than a shopping event, it’s a community gathering that brings people together, as neighbors. It’s beautiful, and I am humbled to be part of such an amazing community.
This year’s participation has outpaced all previous years. This eighth year has brought new businesses into the fold, as it does every year, and that growing participation is a testament not only to the founder, Denise Statz’s vision, but also to what is readily observable: Palmer is Alaska at it’s best!
Remember, shopping with locally-owned businesses is different than shopping at a box store, or online. The impact of a dollar spent locally is manifold. It is difficult to measure the impact exactly, but there is no doubt among business owners that they could not exist without local people shopping with them. There would be no big community events in Palmer if all of these locally-owned shops were gone. We need them. They provide cultural engagement, and bring people together as people have come together for thousands of years - through trade and commerce.
Never forget, the locally-owned businesses who build our community are also the architects of culture. They do more than sell things, they make things happen. They do so with courage and faith in their neighbors, like you, and me.
I am glad to be part of Who Let The Girls Out each year. Thanks, Denise!
Check out the official guide in Make A Scene Magazine, inserted into this issue of The People’s Paper, or online at www.makeasceneak.com/wltgo2018.