July Fourth is Independence Day, but July 1-7 is Independents Week.

Organized by Local First as a part of a national campaign, the week is all about promoting locally and independently owned businesses.

“It’s really about celebrating and supporting entrepreneurism, local community, local business and the importance of local and independent businesses in keeping money recirculating in our economy,” said Monique DiGiorgio, managing director of Local First.

The week’s main participatory event includes a passport challenge, where shoppers supporting local businesses can win prizes.

Passports will be handed out at businesses around town.

All week, participants will receive a stamp for making a purchase at any Local First-affiliated business. Every five stamps earns one entry into a drawing to win prizes from Wagon Wheel Liquors, Spaaah Shop, 4Corners Riversports, The Greenery, Pine Needle Mountaineering and Salt 360 Float Studio.

The other part of the week is an advertising and promotions campaign spearheaded by Local First to promote local and independent businesses across multiple mediums.

Economic strain caused by the 416 Fire makes the campaign and its sentiment even more timely, DiGiorgio said.

“It’s precisely our local businesses that help keep our economy resilient, and so Independents Week now has even more meaning because it’s helping to support the businesses that are impacted by the fire,” she said.

DiGiorgio says that every dollar spent locally has a magnifying effect.

The people who own and work at local businesses live here, so the dollars spent there support local people’s employment. In addition, local businesses create secondary jobs, such as hiring a local accountant.

Local businesses tend to spend money locally, including restaurants that buy locally grown ingredients, DiGiorgio says.

“When you spend a dollar at that local store, chances are that particular business is going to be sending that dollar back to the community – maybe supporting a nonprofit in the community, maybe giving to causes like the 416 Fire – so you get this kind of magnified effect,” she said.

When dollars are spent at non-local businesses, the money leaks out of the local economy. That’s why it is important to shop local during the fire when times are tough, DiGiorgio said. Regardless of the fire, people should be thinking about spending money locally every day, she said.

Local First is made up of about 250 member businesses across La Plata County.

The Durango Herald is a sponsor of Independents Week.

For more information, visit https://local-first.org/.

rsimonovich@durangoherald.com