BUY LOCAL DRIVE SET AT SCOTT CITY

SCOTT CITY -- Students at Scott City High School hope to encourage city residents to buy locally and keep tax dollars at home.

A Buy Local campaign is being developed by the high school's Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) in conjunction with the Scott City Chamber of Commerce.

During the week of Feb. 10-14 students will urge Scott City consumers to shop Scott City first.

Pat Andrews, FBLA sponsor, said: "The Buy USA campaign has been a big success. We thought, especially in a smaller community like ours, something to stimulate people to buy local might stimulate more business. If we can get the consumers to buy more locally, more tax money will stay here locally."

Andrews said one of main purposes of the project is to provide students with information to "guesstimate" how much tax revenue is lost to the city when consumers shop in other towns.

"I think a lot of consumers are not conscious that if I go somewhere else to shop I am taking tax money away from my city," said Andrews.

Andrews said another goal of the project is to spotlight Scott City businesses.

"We're being realistic," Andrews said. "We know people are going to go to Cape Girardeau to shop, but we have a lot of businesses here, too. We have grocery stories, variety store, a pharmacy, gas stations a florist, doctors, dentists. They're all here.

"I think having a week like this will give all the businesses a boost. We hope that people will begin thinking about everything we have right here in Scott City," she said.

Students have sent letters to Scott City businesses asking them to participate in the campaign. A booklet is being compiled that includes ads for participating businesses and coupons and discounts for use during the campaign week.

Planning for the project began even before school started, Andrews said. "We initially met with the president of the Chamber of Commerce to discuss this project. They gave us their okay and we have been working on it ever since," Andrews said.

In addition to talking with businesses, students will put up posters and banners around town to help advertise the event.

Businesses interested in participating may contact Andrews at the high school, 264-2138.