Her prize was presented at the Spirit of Christmas celebration in downtown Gresham at the Center for the Arts Plaza on Saturday, Dec. 3rd.

Many Thanks to Our Giveaway Sponsors

Accents on Attitude
ICandy
Sizzler
Smiddys Carpet Cleaning
Abby’s Pizza
Rewind
Proforma Prosource
All Aout Kids
Free Spirit
Olympic Gym
Tails of Abbygail
Creative Vision Landscape
Of the Chart Games
Mt. Hood Lanes
The Outlook
Jamba Juice
Dickey’s Bar
Fab50Project

Giving Back

The first thing Kim did with her winning check of $1,000 was to make a donation that will provide 600 pounds of food for local families. That is just one of the great things that happen when you Try Local First local charities are supported in the most part by local businesses so when you buy local chances are you are helping to support local non-profits and charities.

Kim knows about that on the other side also as her husband, Michael is an owner of a small business in downtown Gresham and his business Sole Position Internet Marketing is always one to step-up and help local causes! Congratulations! Kim we know you are having a great time this Holiday Season shopping in East County.

Just like the last two years, Try Local First is proud to announce that our $1000 shopping spree is open for submissions.

Don’t Delay. Enter Today!

Simply visit our contest page, and fill out the entry found there, and you’ll be entered. You can enter once a day.

The contest goes from October 24th, 2010 through December 3rd, 2010.

Awesome Sponsors

We have a great group of sponsors, without whom we wouldn’t be able to put this contest on. Please visit their websites below and shop local!

• Silk Espresso
• Oregonian’s Credit Union
• Riverview Community Bank
• Advanced Care Chiropractic
• C.P. Trips
• AccuShred NW / Gresham Sanitary
• Portland Adventist Elementary School
• Lori Stegmann Insurance Agency Inc
• Courtyard Fountains
• Gresham Downtown Development Association

We care a great deal about our local economy and want it to prosper in good times and bad.

That is why we are giving away an East County Stimulus. It’s our very own stimulus package for East Multnomah County.

Entering is Easy

Simply visit Enter to Win page and either fill our our online entry form or download our paper entry form, and you’ll be entered. You can enter once a day.

It’s that easy!

Spread the Word

Help spread the word about our contest by sharing this post with your family and friends, so they too can learn more about TryLocalFirst.org.

The contest runs from June 15th – July 25th.

The program will be promoted to our previous thousands of contestants who entered to win our two “$1,000 Shopping Sprees” (one in the Fall of 2008 and one in 2009) and last summer’s “Discover East County Packages”.

It will also be promoted locally by all Coalition Members of Try Local First with information regarding the contest being promoted in local newspaper and on the Try Local First contest page as well as the Gresham Area Chamber of Commerce website and other Coalition members websites.

The promotion will begin in mid June and entries will be accepted for 30 days. Winners will be selected based on the previously selected guidelines and presented at the Center for the Arts Plaza “Street Dance” event the last weekend of July.

Those businesses that contribute prizes to the “East County Stimulus Package” will be listed on the Try Local First website and those that contribute prizes with a retail value of $100 or more will receive a link to their website, if requested. They will also be mentioned in as many promotional materials and presentations as possible.

The goal of the contest is to promote East County businesses as well as local events that contribute to the economic well being of our community.

Shopping Spree Winner Gloria Smith with Try Local First's Bess Willis

Gloria Smith noticed the brightly green wrapped boxes in local stores last Christmas (2008) and she filled out a form and entered to win the local $1,000 Shopping Spree.

Then later on in the year she entered to win a Discover East County Package and when she heard the winners announced at the 4th of July Blue Lake Park Fireworks Event she did not hear her name but was impressed to see that yes someone did win and these Try Local First promotions were for real. So when she received the e-mail announcing the 2009 Shopping Spree Event she took the time to enter once again.

Life gets busy and Gloria was over halfway across the United States caring for a sister that was having eye surgery when she visited a local library to check her e-mail – yes, Gloria, there is a Santa Claus as what to her wondering eyes did appear an e-mail from Try Local First stating that she was the winner of the 2009 $1,000 Shopping Spree. Persistence does pay and a little good karma doesn’t hurt either.

Speaking of good karma and paying it forward, when asked what she intended to do with her Holiday Spree the first words out of her mouth were that she was going to her local Church and get some Angels off the tree – you see each Angel has a child’s name who needs a little something this Christmas and Gloria was happy to spend a portion of her $1,000 helping other less fortunate have a little brighter Christmas.

And, of course she intends to spend the entire $1,000 locally because she understands that will enable someone else to spend local and the circle of local economic health stays well and those locally in need are given assistance. Try Local First is truly a happy ending story that had no ending if we all make that extra effort to spend our resources in East County!

Try Local First is at it again.

We care a great deal about our local economy and want it to prosper in good times and bad.

That is why we are giving away a $1000 shopping spree to one lucky winner. It’s our very own stimulus package for East Multnomah County.

Entering is Easy

Simply visit our contest page and fill out the entry form on our “Enter to Win” page, and you’ll be entered. You can enter once a day.

The hard part will be deciding what to spend your $1000 shopping spree on.

Spread the Word

Help spread the word about our contest by forwarding this e-mail to your family and friends, so they too can learn more about Try Local First.

The contest runs from November 1st – 30th

Thanks to Our Sponsors

We want to thank our generous sponsors for their valuable commitment to Try Local First. They are a vital component of what Try Local First is all about, and we hope that you take a moment and visit their business to see what remarkable products and services they have to offer.

Thanks,

-The Try Local First Team

Hallie Exall is the winner of our Try Local First back to school essay contest for grades 7-12.

The Winning Essay

When shopping, I think of the benefits and drawbacks of where I choose to spend my money. I ask myself, “Is the pricing appropriate? Does it benefit the environment?” and “How will this stimulate the economy in my community?”

I live by Fairview Lane, so my family’s spending money is mostly dispersed among local, smaller businesses. This, in turn, helps East County because most of the money is kept in our community.

This benefits me, as well as others, because non-profit organizations (such as Relay for Life or the Salvation Army) have more money to reach out to those being affected by the organization’s cause.

Residents in our community benefit from local businesses by becoming employed. Environmentally, local businesses have less of an environmental footprint because they usually buy from local suppliers which saves them shipping money, while at the same time, saves the planet. Because they buy from local farmers, it helps and contributes to our local farmers. Consumers have healthier choices because our local farmers don’t use as many preservatives. They also save agricultural land, which therefore is less likely to be zoned in other ways.

With local businesses, come local business owners. They are more likely to stay, which keeps our community employed while stimulating our local economy. The more money we disperse locally, the safe our community. Our tax dollars turn into functioning police, fire and public services. The better function our services are, the safe and happier our community in East Multnomah County is.

Try Local First thanks all our contest entries for their their enthusiasm in supporting their local economy!

Bree Boertien is the winner of our Try Local First back to school essay contest for grades 1-6.

The Winning Essay

How To Save Gresham

You can help save Gresham by doing a lot. So, don’t take a long shower. We can use that water to water farms and fields.

Start shopping locally. My mom and I recycle and don’t waste water. Help farmers by not wasting water that can help water plants. This can help save our planet. Don’t drive too much. That pollutes our air. It can kill many animals.

Buy stuff in Gresham so people don’t lose their jobs, just like my mom, so you can help my mom get a job. Together, we can save our planet! And if you buy in Gresham and make it safer, then Gresham will be safer. Use the R’s Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Save our planet!

Try Local First thanks all our contest entries for their their enthusiasm in supporting their local economy!