Think for a second, about all of those business names on the back of the event t-shirts or on the front of the little league jerseys. Think of the discounts that businesses give to be on one of those fundraising cards or coupon books. Think of the banner at the local event with the business logos on it, or the program ads for the local theater performance. All of these promotions come from local businesses giving back to support a community organization they believe in.

Businesses are asked multiple times per week to help support different organizations and programs, and many businesses do try to help where they can. Every time they say yes, the business receives some sort of recognition, yet seldom are the occasions that any one particular sponsorship leads directly to a stampede of customers. More often, the business support works as a reminder to consumers of which companies are supportive of certain non-profits and community groups. Most customers, when asked, say they want to support businesses that support their communities, so in a grand sense businesses supporting local teams, groups and organizations builds their brand.

Here’s the thing for me though: Why isn’t there a stampede of customers to these businesses? Why do we happily cheer on our children competing in a local event sponsored by a local retailer, and later that day order the same products that the business sells from a competitor like Amazon? Our local businesses don’t support local events for some quid pro quo, but shouldn’t we be thinking about them anyway?

The issue here isn’t Amazon, the issue is what I stated earlier, that when the exact question gets asked of :are you more likely to support a local business if they support projects in your community” people will say “yes” but their actions don’t always support that. Why do we do that (and many of us do in fact do this)? Why don’t we hold ourselves accountable? Sure it’s easier to order from Amazon and have it delivered to your door. But then again, wouldn’t any business owner when asked to support your child’s event say ‘it’s easier to say “no’’ (and aren’t you glad they didn’t say no)?

With the pandemic and being overstressed, most people are looking for what’s most convenient, what is easiest. But sometimes, what is easiest isn’t necessarily what is right. For example, it’s easier to attend any meeting by Zoom, but does that make it right? Have we devalued in-person connection, body language, the pre-meeting banter, and the post-meeting follow-up so much that we actually think Zoom is better? Easier doesn’t always mean better.

I bring all of this forward because it’s been a particularly difficult two years for many non-profits, youth sports teams, theaters, and community organizations. As we begin to open back up, and more outdoor community events are happening, you will again be seeing the t-shirts, banners, posters and event programs, and my hope is that when you do you will pay particular attention to the businesses supporting these projects. That’s not to say we shouldn’t support businesses who don’t participate, or who are unable to participate due to their budget. However, many of these events and activities could not happen without the support of these businesses. Could.Not.Happen. The fact that these events do happen because of this business support deserves recognition.

It might deserve a bit more, too. They might deserve your patronage. Or a referral. Or a thank you nod. Or an exuberant hoot when it’s announced at the event. Can you imagine what it means for a supporting business to get a thank you card? I get about five per year for different projects or programs we do — all of them unexpected — and every single time it knocks me to the floor, and when I get up, I have the energy of a thousand suns. A simple thank-you goes so far.

That’s what I mean by valuing community responsibility. These businesses feel a responsibility to make their communities as welcoming, entertaining, and vibrant as possible and so they give back. If they didn’t, that would reshape our communities. Live concerts would be few and far between without the support of sponsors. I don’t know of a single theater that could survive on ticket sales alone without the support of sponsors. I know the events our chamber runs couldn’t happen without the support of our event sponsors and cornerstone sponsors. It’s true for nearly every community organization you know.

To that end, for my business friends, I want to say thank you, and also to urge you to continue supporting local organizations. Right now, many businesses are short-staffed and stretched thin, and many are heading into the busiest four months of their year. Yet without you, our communities would have less to do and your fellow businesses relying on the traffic these projects bring would be worse off.

Every show of a Maine State Music Theatre production brings hundreds of people to Brunswick and before and after their shows, many attendees find a spot to grab a bite or a drink. Every Waterfront Park concert brings hundreds of people to walk in and out of the downtown Bath shops to pick up a favorite keepsake or two. Every outdoor concert in our half-dozen communities that do live outdoor music in the summer, invites people to grab takeout or make a grocery run to set up a picnic for the show.

In short, we are all connected. Our successes stack upon each other. We are literally more than the sum of our parts and our businesses that practice community responsibility embody that. From me, and my BBRC team, and on behalf of all of the community organizations who are members of our chamber, thank you to the businesses who support us to keep us going. We couldn’t do it without you, and we look forward to seeing you out and about this summer.

Cory King is the executive director of the Bath-Brunswick Regional Chamber.

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