Reflecting on the past year, the Steinbach Chamber maintained a strong focus on promotion and education regarding supporting local. Alongside the connections and networking component of our mandate, there 
is the ever-growing promotion and education of what it means to ‘Support Local’ in their community.
“At the Chamber, I think it’s fair to say we are extremely passionate about supporting local and the far-reaching community benefits that result when we do so,” said Michelle Bezditny, Executive Director for the Chamber. “When you support local business, you support the local economy, local families, local sports and recreation opportunities, and local non-profits. It’s really a win-win situation.”
In line with supporting the love for local, the Chamber successfully executed on the following initiatives in 2021:
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July 2021 saw the Chamber’s first ever Backyard Tourist contest, encouraging local consumers to shop local and post pictures on social media for a chance to win one of ten $150 local prize packs. Over 26,000 people viewed contest info via posts on social media and on the Chamber website.
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In September 2021, the Chamber hosted its fourth annual Steinbach Burger Days event. A record 19 local restaurants featured signature burgers to tickle tastebuds across the southeast. During the week, over 12,500 burgers were sold, generating $195,000 in total sales, with each restaurant selling between 150-1500 burgers!
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The Chamber’s first A Merry Local Christmas Campaign took place in December 2021. This campaign saw promotion of shopping local during the holiday season. Local businesses were provided an opportunity to promote a holiday special or deal on the Chamber’s website. Local consumers were encouraged to buy local, brag about their purchase on social media, and tag local businesses and friends for a chance to win one of three $500 local gift baskets. Over 21,000 people viewed posts on social media and the Chamber website.
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The Steinbach Chamber also launched a new Celebrate Supporting Local promotional video in December 2021, highlighting the tangible impacts that supporting local has on the community. The video has reached over 146,500 unique users online, 650,750 impressions on social media, and has quickly become a source of community pride.
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