Get it together

This community has lost about 1,000 jobs recently. We could all indulge in the blame game, cry at length about it, have a big endless pity party, or we could do something about it.
There are people trying to get a company interested in moving or starting a business here to reinvent some of those lost jobs, but in the meantime, there are other things that we can do, and one of them is support each other. Now is the time to buy local. Instead of driving to Clarksville or Louisville to buy something, buy it here, in Harrison County. If you need a new roof, try a local contractor. Need a new alternator? Try a local mechanic. Want a new car? There are a bunch of car lots here. Want to sell something? Want ads pay. You get the drift. If you aren’t sure who to call when you need a contractor, mechanic, plumber, accountant, dentist, florist or whatever, call the Chamber of Commerce of Harrison County (738-2137).
Now is the time to advertise locally. If you haven’t tried advertising, now’s the time to do it. If we support each other, we will get through this temporary downturn in our economy.
Good things are happening. The hospital is about to build a new facility. The South Harrison Community School Corp. is adding new buildings. Lucas Oil may be expanding. Doug Breeden and Mark Wiseman have even more big plans for their Old Capital Golf Club expansion. The YMCA of Harrison County is booming. So is the Friends of Youth baseball and softball programs. The commissioners are looking at district sewer systems. The Harrison County Park Dept. is enjoying record attendance. Friday night band concerts, Corydon Jamboree, Bluegrass on the Square concerts and historical reenactments are drawing big crowds, indicating that our cultural life is definitely alive and well. We should be promoting the heck out of those events.
The downtown merchants ought to jump all over these events by banding together, opening early and staying late with special sales when these tourist events happen. Sherry Watson at the Convention and Visitors Bureau said the downtown is like a mall. If the shops are closed, the shoppers will go somewhere else. Landlords ought to get together and put a clause into their contracts demanding that their renters stay open during the local festivals. And the business owners should understand that it’s not just a one-time thing; it may have to be long-term before results begin to pay off.
Everyone ought to tell their friends and relatives about what’s happening in Harrison County and encourage them to come here and spend some time. We routinely hear from people out of county and out of state that Harrison County is a very special place, with much to recommend it. They’re right. We should take advantage of it, take care of it, and be willing to share our good fortune with others. It’s a mysterious fact of life that people who eagerly reach out and share what they have with others usually gain the most.