-Cards can be picked up at local kiosks on March 19, 26 and April 7-

OSOYOOS TIMES-March 11, 2009-

By Karen KnelsenrnOsoyoos Times

Destination Osoyoos (DO) announced on March 9 that it has teamed up with the Local Benefits discount organization in an effort to encourage people to support local businesses.
At a press conference held at Stedman's V&S Department Store on Osoyoos's Main Street, DO's chief executive officer, Glenn Mandziuk, introduced a new program called Shop Local, which was born out of the partnership and will act as what he called a local stimulus package.
According to DO roughly $31 million is being spent on durable goods by Osoyoos residents every year.
About 50 per cent of that money is being spent outside of the community.
To get people to spend their cash closer to home, up to 1,500 Shop Local cards, which allow for various discounts at local businesses, will be handed out for free until April 30.
The limit is one card per household, with one person's name and member number on each card.
Mandziuk said DO is investing nearly $35,000 into Shop Local, which will be accessible only to Osoyoos residents and Osoyoos businesses.
It's a significant investment that Destination Osoyoos is making, Mandziuk said.
The Local Benefits program was launched last fall and offered residents and business in Osoyoos and Oliver discounts.
The cards were available for a monthly or yearly fee.
Nikki Inkster, one of the owners of Local Benefits, said she's excited to start putting the cards in the hands of more people.
She said she wants to use this as an opportunity to promote the local businesses already on board with the program, as well as to encourage other businesses to join.
Kelly-Anne Matthews, from the Polka Dot Door Flowers and Gifts shop, was on-hand for the announcement.
She said she's worked hard to establish the business as part of Osoyoos's downtown core, and she feels the Shop Local program will continue to solidify her shop's place in the community.
We're really excited and we've really tried to promote the card as much as we can, Matthews said.
Osoyoos Mayor Stu Wells told those gathered for the announcement that the program would help the community during the current economic downturn.
It's really important to our community, particularly as we look at the trying times, he said. I think it's going to pull us together as a community.
Kiosks will be set up during the next few weeks for people to register for the new cards, which bear Osoyoos's official logo on them.
There will be one held at the Osoyoos Visitor Centre on March 19, one at Shoppers Drug Mart on March 26, and one at Smitty's Family Restaurant on April 7.
Two more registration days will be announced in the future.
For more information on the Local Benefits and Shop Local programs, and for a complete list of participating businesses and the discounts being offered, go to www.localbenefits.ca
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