TRAVERSE CITY -- There's power shopping and then there's powerFUL shopping, and merchants of downtown Traverse City hope to generate some of the latter next weekend.
Nov. 8 is the fourth annual "Shop Your Community Day" sponsored by the Downtown Traverse City Association. Dozens of downtown merchants will donate 15 percent of their sales to a local nonprofit organization of their customer's choice, an effort that raises thousands of dollars for area charities, churches and schools, service agencies and advocacy groups.
"I think it's a great way to support the community," said Jo Bullis, executive director of the Women's Resource Center, a local nonprofit that's among the promotion's best-supported organizations.
The resource center provides emergency shelter and services for victims of domestic and sexual violence and relies on community donations for more than a third of its budget.
The downtown shopping day generates around $1,000 a year for the organization, a figure that equates to more than $6,600 spent at local shops.
"It's not only a financial benefit," Bullis said. "It also helps raise awareness about different nonprofits in the area."
The community shopping day has steadily grown since its inception three years ago, said downtown marketing director Colleen Paveglio. In 2005, the effort raised just over $9,000, the second year generated $10,000 and last year's total topped $14,000. The number of participating stores and nonprofits also increased, she said.
About 50 downtown merchants are participating this year, along with 42 local nonprofits.
Participating nonprofits agree to promote the event to their support network through items like newsletters and e-mail alerts. The downtown association also provides post cards to nonprofits to help advertise the event.
Downtown merchants also see a revenue boost. Golden Shoes co-owner Bill Golden said shopping days bolstered his sales for a typical early-November Saturday by around 60 percent, and it's among his top 10 sales days of the year.
It also generates customers at a slow time.
"It's huge," said Golden, who also runs the local Boots for Kids nonprofit that's among the participants. "People really come out for it ... the organizations are telling their people about it, and their people will wait to shop on that day."
Participating businesses will be marked with special shopping bags and balloons.
Participating nonprofits in Shop Your Community Day
-- Addiction Treatment Services
-- American Cancer Society
-- American Red Cross of Northwest MI
-- ArtCenter Traverse City
-- Big Brothers Big Sisters of NW MI
-- Boots for Kids
-- Boy Scouts of America/Scenic Trails Council
-- Boys and Girls Clubs of Grand Traverse
-- Cherryland Humane Society
-- The Childrens House
-- City Opera House
-- Community Meals Program
-- Company Dance Traverse
-- Conservation Resource Alliance
-- Father Fred Foundation
-- Fishtown Preservation Society
-- Foundation for Mental Health
-- Friends of TADL
-- G.T. Area Catholic Schools
-- G.T. Conservation District/Boardman River Nature Center
-- G.T. Dislexia Association
-- G.T. Heritage Center
-- G.T. Regional Land Conservancy
-- Good News Media WLJN/WLJW
-- Goodwill Inn Homeless Shelter
-- Great Lakes Childrens Museum
-- LaLeche League
-- Michigan Land Use Institute
-- Michaels Place
-- Mt. Holiday
-- N.W. MI 4C Council/Child Care Connections
-- Old Town Playhouse
-- Pregnancy Care Center
-- Safe Passage
-- TART Trails
-- Third Level Crisis Intervention Center
-- Traverse City Film Festival
-- Trout Unlimited-Adams Chapter
-- Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Grand Traverse
-- United Way of NW MI
-- Womens Resource Center
Participating stores in Shop Your Community Day:
-- American Spoon Foods
-- Americana Collection
-- Amical (gift certificates only)
-- Annies
-- Backcountry Outfitters
-- Belstone Gallery
-- By Candlelight Amish Furnishings
-- Calis Boutique
-- Captains Quarters
-- Cedar Creek Interiors of G. T.
-- Celtic Rose Irish Shop
-- Cherry Hill Boutique
-- Cherry Stop
-- Cherry Republic
-- Childrens World
-- Cold Stone Creamery
-- Cottage Garden
-- DeYoungs
-- Diversions
-- Downtown Frame Up
-- Ellas
-- Evergreen Gallery
-- Federicos Design Jewelers
-- Golden Shoes
-- Harbor Wear
-- Higher Self Book Store
-- Holiday Traditions
-- Kays
-- Leaping Lizard
-- Lighting Center
-- Living Light Massage and Wellness Center
-- Marys Kitchen Port
-- McMillens Instant Framer
-- Miners North Jewelers
-- Morsels
-- Muriels
-- Nifty Things!
-- Orvis Streamside
-- Posh-a house of style
-- Preggers
-- Ravens Child
-- Red Ginger (gift certificates only)
-- Sound It Out Records
-- Stewart Zacks
-- Toy Harbor
-- Unity Fair Trade
-- Venus
-- Votruba
-- What to Wear
