It wasn’t just for the week of November 27 to December 3, which was BC Buy Local Week. It’s ALL THE TIME, that the Pemberton and District Chamber of Commerce celebrates and supports local businesses from the Líl̓wat Nation and Pemberton. I’ve seen their posts and portraits pop up on my feed over the last little while and always feel reminded of how glad I am to live here, where so many people are willing to invest their time and energy into a business that makes the experience of being here so much richer. So many of the business owners are here, operating their businesses, which is so genuinely unusual in the world today. It wasn’t until I went through the Chamber’s Facebook feed to share some photos that it was really brought home to me. This is part of what makes this place what it is. These people and the way they curate product and services and tend to their staff and donate to local organizations, and show up, every day, doors wide open. It’s a great time of year to invest back in them.

Gift cards and gym passes and yoga passes or drop-in passes to the Out of the House Coworking space, bags of carrots or harvest box subscriptions (wouldn’t that be the best Xmas present ever???), a hand-crafted mug, a plant, all are delightful ways to show people you love them, in ways that keep the love right here.