Community is Everything

Apex, NC September 17, 2009

I have had the rare privilege to be in the midst of the community over the past couple weeks. I have been meeting with the small and large business owners in Apex and Cary as the Peak City Film Festival seeks partners whose support will make the Festival a continuing success. And from a funding perspective, it has been challenging. Selling sponsorships is not easy. People indeed are having a harder time, and as the 4th Quarter fast approaches, some "marketing" avenues set in January have been met.

There are businesses owners out there, who although it has been a heck of a year, are very much supportive of the Festival and what it brings to community, especially what it brings to the town of Apex and the neighboring community of Cary.

To the letter, the business owners are 100% behind the Peak City Film Festival. It will bring a much needed nudge just before Thanksgiving, with hundreds of people utilizing area hotels, eating at our fine dining establishments and spending money at the local level.

Our community is local. John Demers, the Peak City Film Festival's Executive Producer understands and is reminded of this critical value. He told me: "Jim, I wanted this Peak City Film Festival - Family Style to happen at this time. I think the timing is perfect. We are the right medicine in a world still concerned with so many things!"

He is right about the so many things... Bizarre performances at the MTV Awards, congress verbally imploding; famous people losing their cool or acting in ways we just cannot fathom, man I am glad I have community.

This Festival is an integral part of our community. It is made up of community and it reflects community. It was born from community. With so many of us here in this area with family hundreds of miles away, our neighbors and friends are our family. They help us watch the kids. They bring cookies over during the holidays and they call on us during sickness and sadness. We are US. And that is pretty cool and dang refreshing.

The next time the Evening News makes you sober about your own situation, call a neighbor or go play catch with the kid next store. All Community is local!

And when I walk into your store or call you to say hi, smile when I mention community!