To the editor:

Let me introduce myself. I am Mary Ann Mansfield and I am your new board president.

I know Langley to be a fabulous place to live, evidenced by a community spirit that I have never seen anywhere else. We care about each other and the place we live. Good Cheer, Friends of Friends, WIN, the Langley Community Garden, the Commons and numerous other organizations exemplify that spirit. We are a community that understands that this is, indeed, a “We” situation.

So, what do we want for our Village by the Sea? I know that the chamber and our members want a strong and vibrant business environment. The majority of our executive director’s time is spent doing PR, promoting Langley, preparing for events to bring people to our town and attending meetings to support those efforts. She does a wonderful job with the resources of the chamber.

In the face of the current economic challenge, what more can “We” do? Cutbacks are everywhere with no end in sight. To me that means pulling together as “We” even more.

It means committing to shopping locally. For every $100 that you spend at a locally owned store, $68 stays in our town through payroll, taxes and other expenditures. If you spend that $100 elsewhere, well, you know.

Pick three local businesses that you would miss if they were no longer around. Will you commit to spending $50 a month between them?

If we want the tourist dollars here, we need to keep our businesses open to attract the tourists.

When was the last time that you came into town just to walk around and discover what’s new or go into shops that you have never been in before? Will you come in for holiday shopping and discover things like local chocolates, candles, handcrafted soap and so much more? There are great clothes, garden gifts and vintage items. You get the point.

We are lighting up the town for the season. It’s Home for the Holidays! Come in and join the fun. Stay tuned for Locals Late Nights Friday and Saturday nights. Enjoy the holiday shows coming up in Langley venues.

Be a local hero. Shop local, buy local, be local.

Shop where it will make a difference. How many people does it take to start a trend? One, you.

Mary Ann Mansfield

President

Langley Chamber of Commerce