Editor,

Our community is being encouraged to shop in Langley during construction. I would like to go further and ask that the community think about the businesses that sponsor and support South Whidbey nonprofits.

People who care about local causes own these businesses. When a business (farms included) gives an item, we tend to think there is no cost incurred. By giving an item, the business cannot sell it to a paying customer. It still costs the business to make the product.

The other half of this “giving equation” is that money spent on Whidbey stays in the community and is taxed in Island County. It benefits schools, hospitals, fire, police, and necessary services. When you spend across the water you put money in other counties’ coffers for their kids and communities.

While I know that we cannot get every single thing we need on Whidbey, I do know that we can get a lot here and it’s not always more expensive. Yes, sometimes it is, but if you think of it this way, spending a little bit more on something here means the money stays here. And, many times the prices are exactly the same. It is the same with services. Do I want to go with a company who only allows you to talk to machines and when you finally get someone on the phone you might as well plan your day around it? Whidbey Tel, Whidbey Bank, and other locally grown services not only know their clientele, but they have tailored their services to make it easier for us to do business at home.

Take a look at almost every fundraising event and you will see the names of local businesses on the list of underwriters or donors.

LAURA TAYLOR

Langley