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Huron Expositor, 2009-08-19, Page 8a.Y wG.�S .r .�.t J1.� f.4. • .. ..-'i. .r.:•w. .t_...y --••••-....--.•••••a+.-....---% ... .�.� ._. The Huron Expositor • August 19, 2009 • News • Shoppers use $14,000 in Smart money during second round Susan Uuudertinark Over $14,000 in Smart money was used by shoppers at Seaforth busi- nesses during the month of July. The second distribution of $20,000 in Seaforth Smart money in July took two weeks to sell out, opposed to six days during the first distribu- tion. "This time, we limited it to $300 per family instead of $300 per person to give more people the opportunity to use it," says Seaforth BIA (Business Improvement Area) chair Cathy El- liott. Seaforth's BIA Bucks were trans- forined into Seaforth Smart money. last spring in a new Seaforth Spirit campaign, offering up to $300 per person in currency that will bring a 10 per cent discount at 48 Seaforth stores. . We can think of .33,000 reasons J.D. Power and Associates ranked us Highest in Customer Satisfaction. To experience our customer service, call 1800436-3333, visit a branch or go to wwwtdca • Canada Trust Banking can be this comfortable Al [dada Trust nailed the highest numerical scaeanong the big five retdbanks m the proprielof J.D. Pager* Biricing Customer Satiation Sftxle.20109 study based 12,555 total responses measuring 5 balks. Niftier*stu pettegions of consumers surveyed in March -June 2009. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpowetont 2006.2009 Canadian Recd mils as based on ageiimrois and • The initiative was launched as a way to promote shopping at home, using 57 per cent of the BIA budget, financed by merchants' property tax- es on the local currency. Elliott says the Smart money is a success so far with more and more local businesses seeing the BIA cur- rency in their stores. "It's been turned in to businesses that hadn't seen it before and peo- ple are hearing about it by word of mouth," she says. While the Seaforth BIA is issuing another $20,000 in October, making it a total of $60,000 in three dis- tributions throughout 2009, Elliott says a plan is in the works to make four distributions of $15,000 each in 2010 if local merchants continue to agree the shop -at-home initiative is working. She says merchants will be polled before the new year for their opin- ion. Smart money, offered in $5 denom- inations, has no cash value and can only be used at participating stores, identified by a Seaforth Spirit poster in the window. Elliott adds that there are many ways the local currency program could be expanded. "Companies could give Smart mon- ey instead of gift certificates to their employees at Christmas time or they could give their employees a portion of their pay in Smart money," she says. Elliott adds the BIA has been look- ing into whether it could create a re- , fillable card rather than issuing local currency. "Cost is the barrier. We don't want to spend a lot of money on the work- ings of the program," she says. Elliott says she's thrilled to see lo- cal merchants come up with their own creative ways to promote their businesses using the Smart money. "For example, if you pay with Smart money at Blooms and Rooms, they'll give you an additional 10 per cent off. They're really taking the initia- tive in their marketing," she says. • Swimming lessons? CHECK Soccer schedule? CHECK ✓ Back -to -school shoes? CHECK Childcare for September? Is it too late? It's not too late to register your child for childcare in Huron County! Please see the contact information for each of the centres below...call today. Bean Sprouts Nursery School, Zurich Clinton Cooperative Childcare Centre Goderich Municipal Childcare Centre North Huron Childcare Centre, Wingham Relouw Early Learning Center, Exeter Seaforth Cooperative Childcare Centre Tinker Tots Nursery School, Hensall Tuckersmith Day Nursery, Vanastra Walton ' s Little School Huron County Horne Childcare 519-235-0710 519-482-5777 519-524-7441 519-357-2424 519-235-0710 519-527-0682 519-262-2305 519-482-7634 519-887-8440 482-8505 ext 204 REGISTER NOW FOR SEPTEMBER 2009 Assistance with the cost of childcare may be available Cs114824505 •xt 208 for mon information.