MANISTEE, MICH. - 'It's time to show some Christmas spirit!' How many times have you heard someone say that? When we reach the final months of the year, showing holiday spirit becomes as prevalent as ever: bringing the family together for a Thanksgiving dinner, getting gifts ordered and delivered in time for Christmas, and having resolutions planned before New Year's Eve when the clock strikes midnight. And while understanding the significance behind these annual traditions is a subject deserving of its own column, it can't be denied that the idea of having 'spirit' resonates with just about everyone. Even beyond the holiday season, you will hear people say to 'keep your spirits up' in times of trouble or encourage you to go to the big football game donning your 'school spirit'. Why is spirit so important to us? Why should we have spirit in our day-to-day lives? Let's talk about it.

 

You can sense when a community is alive with spirit versus when it isn't… and I would say that Manistee is alive! We continue to see investment being poured into this county: new businesses opening up, housing projects being developed, and more people discovering Manistee on the map. We get what we put into our community. Putting our resources into the right developments (including the developments we already have) is not only what allows Manistee County to sustain itself, but to create opportunities for future generations to call this place their home. We need life in Manistee for it and its people to prosper. If no one ever supported or invested in Manistee, we wouldn't have a Manistee at all. When we choose not to invest in our community, we lose the spirit that makes us what we are.

 

There are so many ways to show your spirit. All of us can be cheerleaders for our community. At the Manistee Area Chamber of Commerce, we are first and foremost advocates for Manistee County. As a part of the Northern Michigan Chamber Alliance, we believe spirit abounds when advocating for your community: making sure Manistee County is seen at a state, and even national level, advocating on the policies and issues that impact businesses across rural Northern Michigan. It's not always easy work, and that's to be expected. However, all the more rewarding it becomes to come to the table and have those conversations that lead to the big ideas that can support our community for the better. It is so important to have a spirit that wills you to make your community a better place to be.

 

But it doesn't have to look like that for you individually: there are practical things you can do every day to show your support for Manistee County. Support local businesses and participate in the programs that they participate in. Visit that brand new business you heard about. Be there for that business that's been in Manistee County for generations. Spend 'manistee county ca$h' and ensure that your spending dollars stay local (available at ManisteeChamber.com). Look to your local businesses for your holiday shopping: for example, mark your calendars for Small Business Saturday on November 30th, or Downtown Manistee's Ladies' Night on Wednesday, December 11th, and Men's Night on Wednesday, December 18th. 

 

Let's have spirit in every sense of the word. In whatever way the next couple of months looks to you, let's remember not only our 'why', but our 'who'. It is so good to know why you celebrate… now who will you celebrate with? A great place to start is by looking to the neighbors, businesses, and community members who have made Manistee County what it is. In any case, I wish you a wonderful holiday season!

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Blade Gates is the Marketing & Communications Specialist of the Manistee Area Chamber of Commerce, a non-profit 501 C (6) organization, whose mission is to build a dynamic and sustainable organization to serve the Business, Workforce, and Economic Development needs of all in Manistee County. You can contact the Chamber at 231-723-2575 or communications@manisteechamber.com.