The Chamber of Commerce is made
up of local business owners, service organizations and
private citizens who VOLUNTEER their time and effort to help
promote commerce in the greater Sayville area.
Please note the word volunteer, as we are funded by our own
membership dues, fund raisers, and occasionally grants. We
are fortunate to have a committee whose purpose is to secure
government grants which are used for local capital
improvements such as side walks, trash bins and other forms
of beautification to make our town, not only a better place
to shop and do business but also a more pleasant place to
live.
Did you know that the money raised by the Summerfest goes to
fund our holiday parades, Easter festivities, watering of
the planters in town, the fall festival, holiday lights,
tree lighting, concerts, etc.
What would our community be without these events and other
efforts to make this a better place to live? What would our
community be with vacant retail space?
Did you know that local businesses generate 70% more local
economic impact per square foot than chain stores? Spending
$100 at one of the neighborhood independent businesses
creates $68 in additional local economic activity, while
spending $100 at a chain store produces only $43 worth of
local impact.
Because chains funnel more of this revenue out of the local
economy, for every square foot of space occupied by a chain,
the local impact is $105, compared to $179 for every square
foot occupied by an independent business, based on
statistics compiled by Tom Isles, the director of Planning
for Suffolk County.
Studies have shown that a healthy and vital downtown and
surrounding local shopping areas have a positive impact on
the real estate and the desire to live in that community.
So often the efforts of so many go unnoticed. It is easier
to criticize and be judgmental than to be part of the
effort. The chamber of commerce is not immune to criticism;
we are always looking for new ideas to promote commerce in
the greater Sayville area and to be part of this great
community.
This piece was written for informative purposes, for more
information about The Greater Sayville Chamber of Commerce
and a list of our members, please go to our web site
www.sayvillechamber.com.
William C. Hoover,
President of The Greater Sayville Chamber of Commerce |
