Over the last couple weeks I have seen many posts and ads about supporting your local business’ during this difficult time we are experiencing.

Not only should be supporting our local restaurants, shops, convenience stores and grocery stores now, but always and every day of the year whether we are in tough times or not.

How many of you have gone into our local stores to ask for a donation for a child's after prom party, or money to pay for a baseball/ softball uniform, to sell Girls Scouts cookies, Boy Scout nuts, FFA fruit, the list goes on and on. I'm sure most, if not all the time, that local business person helps out and supports you with one or most of these requests.

But getting back to our current situation, the whole social distancing and self quarantine issues. Business’ that are used to heavy foot traffic for things like food, gas, supplies and grocery items maybe suffering. Just think, what if this was your business and all of sudden your sales have been cut in half or worse. Electricity still needs to paid, inventory needs to be paid for, business loans need to be paid, employees need to be paid, the list goes on. So yes, please support our local storefronts as much as you can during tough time.

They are making extra effort to clean their business for your safety, they are offering things like call in orders and pickup services and even delivery of their product to your home just to help continue some sales income. Some even offer Internet sales and delivery to your home. Some other ways that are being talked about, are buying gift cards or gift certificates if possible, giving the business cash now so you can make purchases later when things get back to normal.

All they are asking is to please try and shop local, we are so very blessed to have two grocery stores, two dollar stores, five gas locations, three banking facilities, two construction/ lumber locations, four mechanic locations, two implement dealers, numerous places to eat and lots of other unique business’ in between. We have over 100 Chamber members and I would hate to lose any of this!!

This is what makes our town of Wagner a destination for all those people of area towns that may have lost their small business’ over the years. I personally do not want to lose any business or have this to happen to our town.

Next up, the area farmer, have you looked at what the farmer is going through?

In our area we have many awesome grain and cattlemen, the price of their commodities has dropped by as much as 20- 25%. All you have to do is look at a Live Cattle chart over the last thirty days to see this. These farm families depend on the sale of their cattle, grains and hay to live off of and pay their bills, the farmer will need our help as well.

Next time you need meat for the freezer, contact a farmer directly and get a home raised beef, pork or poultry product.

Please do what you can to help locally and we will get through this crisis and come out a better and stronger community!!!!