Photocredit: taunieverett.com

BY: RACHEL WUMKES

It’s finally hump day, which means we are officially on the down slope of the week, and sliding our way right into a day of Harvest Festival fun!

PC: steemit.com

It’s a relatively deep blog post today.  One that will hopefully get you thinking.  Both as a consumer and a member of our fabulous community.

Yesterday we highlighted the area businesses who keep the dream of music alive during Harvest Fest.  Today, we shift the focus to our Cornerstone Sponsors, the ones who make the actual event possible with their generous contributions.

Webster’s Dictionary defines Philanthropic as something given to help others, whether that something be time, talent or treasure.  We often get so busy in our everyday lives that we forget to be philanthropic.  Consumed with me, me, me and our, our, our – it’s hard to give to others when you are so engrossed in your own various activities and life in general.

In the business world, being philanthropic and having community involvement is a must.  While it might not garner you any new customers that day, it does create a sense of solidarity within a community when companies give back.  It’s the chance to bring a positive, measurable change to the community in with they run their businesses.

Today’s consumer is not the same as it was 30+ years ago, but is rather someone who expects more than just a product or service.  He or she expects businesses to reinvest in the communities where they have earned a profit.

Entrepreneur magazine stated in a recent article that you must, “Do good business by doing good.”

Consumers expect more of the business community these days.  And through social media, they have the tools and the power to reward the good and punish the bad.

I think we’ve all seen a rather public example of this recently, right?  The loyalty of Iowans to a young man doing something amazing “For the Kids” was a pretty astonishing story to watch unfold.  Unless you’re a certain newspaper.  They’ve had a few bad days, I think; however, they’re a prime example of how ‘bad business’ gets strewn through the mud even more.

So today… let’s reward the good.

You all know how much the Chamber of Commerce loves and appreciates the many generous sponsors throughout the year.  Without them, we’d just be a pretty town with nothing to do.

So we thank you.  We appreciate you.  We stand in the middle of the street doing a slow clap for you.  Because YOU, make Harvest Festival and all that it entails possible.

Clear Lake Bank & Trust

MBT Bank

First Gabrielson Insurance Agency

CL Tel

Larson’s Mercantile

And the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce

 

PC: pinterest.com

See y’all on Saturday at the Lake!