Let’s celebrate gratitude and appreciation! According to the Center for Community Health & Development at the University of Kansas: “Gratitude and appreciation are important in community life and in community building because they bring us into positive and direct relationship with ourselves and others. Feeling gratitude and expressing appreciation opens our hearts and lifts our hands to the tasks before us.”

While so much focus is on technology and financial resources, we recognize the benefits to express gratitude as a practice, with our customers, employees, partners, vendors, and stakeholders. Expressing gratitude can be as simple as saying Thank You, or writing thank you notes; or giving a hug. Tell family and friends they are loved and appreciated. Do not underestimate the importance of gratitude!

All of us at The Local Crowd are particularly grateful for all the work and unending support we have received from Debbie Gorski. Debbie joined our team in March 2021 as a Community Manager and Social Media Maven and she is making the transition into retirement mode. She has been instrumental in growing our network of communities and coaching so many of our businesses and campaigns. Debbie is moving on to spend more time with her family as well as focusing on her glass studio (Kay’s Glass Studio) and all the fun that represents. Please send Debbie your well wishes at [email protected].

TLC Staff: Diane, Kim, Katelyn, Amanda, and Debbie

Giving Tuesday is a global movement. “Everyone has something to give, and every generosity counts.” (www.givingtuesday.org) Giving money, your time, and helping others in need; generosity counts! Giving Tuesday is always the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving. It is November 28 this year. Consider supporting food pantries, clean-up projects, and other projects that make your community a better and happier place. Help a neighbor, give money or volunteer to your favorite local charity, or buy a gift through an organization that supports a cause (example: Heifer International, The Ocean Project, etc…). Contributing through crowdfunding is another way to help non-profits and businesses. 

It is all about building a better world we want to live in!

We appreciate all the hard work and efforts Devon Thorpe (thesupercrowd.com) put in this past year to present the first in-person SuperCrowd event: SuperCrowd Utah on October 23rd in Sandy, UT. Devon assembled an incredible group of crowdfunding professionals, to share strategies for raising capital for businesses small and large. The Local Crowd’s Diane Sontum shared ideas for building successful campaigns on rewards-based platforms.

A common thread running through the discussion was that no matter the type of platform you are using, you (the business owner) are responsible to bring, nurture, and grow your crowd. The journey starts with you reaching out to YOUR crowd and activating YOUR network. The platform can help you amplify your message and outreach but it is your personal efforts that provide the best results (estimates were 80-90% of funding comes from your/team efforts). Devon is already planning his next SuperCrowd event in Baltimore on Nov 30.

Photo courtesy John Child. Bryce Hansen, SLC SBDC, moderated a panel with Brian Belley (Kingscrowd), Kate Hansen (Culinesco), and Diane Sontum (The Local Crowd).

Happy Girls Don’t Do That, is a vibrant nonprofit on a mission to make the world a brighter place. Our passion is educating young minds about gratitude, happiness, and positivity through the pillars of individual development, community growth, and global influence. The funds from this campaign will go towards launching chapters in Wyoming, and providing resources to educate youth on happiness, gratitude, and positivity and its impact on our everyday life.

The Local Crowd’s participation in the Wyoming Community Navigator Program will be coming to end on November 30th. It has been an exciting two years expanding the TLC network, sharing our educational resources, and helping Wyoming people raise the funds they need! Our platform will keep moving forward and businesses and entrepreneurs can continue to explore ways of accessing capital to fund your small business by contacting: [email protected]. And be sure to check out the campaigns running this month and support our local businesses.

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