More of what do our young adults think of local businesses?

I really have enjoyed reading these essays for our Shop Local Delmarva Scholarship. I can't wait to give the check to the winner. Now deciding the winner is going to be hard. And I am sure glad I don't have to be the one selecting the winner... I put together a awesome panel of some great people from our group to help me pick a winner. Helping with this difficult task we have Laurelei Swinehart, Joe Stonell, Angie James, Michelle Nelson, and Michael Alford. I really appreciate their help with this. They will let me know who their vote is for. And the entry with the most votes will get the scholarship from Shop Local Delmarva for $1000.00!

This opportunity is available because of our Supporters, Partners, and our Sponsors of Shop Local Delmarva! And I think it really shows us how small businesses play such an important role in our community.

Now enjoy reading a few excerpts from these awesome essays.

When thinking of any small town, local business comes to mind. Every town across America relies on local businesses to fuel economic growth. Without our small businesses in America, many opportunities for employment are lost. Without employment, small towns come

crumbling down. Unfortunately, many towns across the country have seen a significant setback in local businesses and many are trying their hardest to restore their communities to their former glory. One small town, Seaford, Delaware, was known as ‘The Nylon Capital Of The World”. However, when the town’s nylon factory left, local businesses could no longer survive. When the business sector left Seaford, everything vanished. Education that was once number one in the

state was now the lowest, and unemployment, crime, and substance abuse skyrocketed. What was once a flourishing community slowly degraded into a distant memory.

And our next one mentions one of our very own Shop Local Delmarva Supporters!!

Southbound Alley has also helped me personally by helping my Girl Scout troop and is an excellent example of a community involved, local business. At Southbound Alley, my Girl Scout troop had a very enjoyable and fun experience. Southbound Alley gave my Girl Scout troop a very generous discount on our bowling games and rental

shoes. They were very accommodating with the time and date my scouting troop wanted to meet. Southbound Alley is an excellent bowling center with a friendly staff. Southbound Alley helped create a memorable bonding experience for my scouting troop. Southbound Alley is an important local business in the area as they provide family-friendly entertainment and support the community.

Here is another:

Recently, Snow Hill has gained a wonderful, family-owned Mexican restaurant called Puerto Real. They are well-known for their entirely homemade menu and their divine service! In the short amount of time that they have been open, such an impact on the community has been

made! It was so exciting to watch the building transform from old brick to a freshly painted exterior and see the signs change. As soon as the doors swung open, the restaurant filled with townspeople who were eager to try everything on the menu and welcome the owners to the area. Nothing but positivity was radiated throughout social media about Puerto Real, convincing more and more people to stop by! Puerto Real has added another option for people in the area to have a bite to eat! With a variety like this, Snow Hill is able to draw in more people.

And another one about a business that helps many young people.

Waking up in the morning and training at The Athlete Academy always starts my day on the right note. Even on my roughest days, the people and the family I have there completely turn my day around no matter what is going on in my personal life. The coaches at The Athlete

Academy are role models in my life and they truly care about every athlete that trains there. They have organized fundraisers for athletes who have lost family members and have supported their athletes in other various ways. It really is a family and I thank God every day for putting these people in my life. While they put me through tough physical challenges every time I am there, they also teach me how to have fun through them and enjoy the process. This mindset I have

developed while training at The Athlete Academy is not just one I utilize there; I also have carried it over to my personal life as well. The impact this has had on me is huge, and I know for a fact I am a better person because of the coaches and the family I am a part of at The Athlete Academy.

I hope you have enjoyed these little parts out of some of the entries we had for this contest. Obviously small businesses play a very important role in community. And I want to thank all of the students that took the time to enter our first scholarship. We will be announcing the winner soon.

Share your positive, wonderful experiences with us, share our group with your friends and invite them to be part of Shop Local Delmarva!! 

David

Shop Local Delmarva

Our Shop Local Delmarva Scholarship

We are reviewing the submissions for our Shop Local Delmarva Scholarship for $1,000 made possible by our Supporters, Partners, and Sponsors. We will announce the winner by the end of September.

And don't forget our Supporters, Partners, and Sponsors.

You may notice certain businesses are highlighted and standout not only in the directory but we highlight them on our Facebook Page as well as our group. This ever growing list of businesses help us promote  a lot of great things in our community. Many of our blogs which you can find right here are focused on our community and our local businesses.

Many of these businesses are helping us promote other local businesses. Which really is what Delmarva is all about. I am asked quite often how a business can be part of Shop Local Delmarva. If you are part of our group you are part of Shop Local Delmarva. If you like the group and like the concept of a digital type of media that we share blogs, videos, highlights and features and want to be part of it we would love to have your support. You can find out more information here. All of our supporters, partners, and sponsors are on the rotating banners on most of our blogs just like this one.

If any of our supporters, partners, or sponsors have upcoming events we encourage them to let us know so we can help them promote them as well.

The whole idea of Shop Local Delmarva is all about our local community supporting local businesses, and our local businesses supporting our local community. It goes round and round.