With all the hustle and bustle of Christmas season it is nice to know that the residents of Butler County do not have to travel very far to find the perfect gifts to put under the tree this holiday season.

Greenville has almost everything that someone could want for Christmas and it does not require an hour drive to get it, which saves time and money. There is everything from antiques and furniture to saddles and automobiles. By purchasing from these merchants you will help support your neighbors.

There are many reasons to make your holiday purchases locally. When you buy locally you are essentially giving to your community. Everyone wants better schools, roads, buildings and services. But, when money is taken into another community to purchase goods and services, it is like taking money away from Butler County's future. Though nobody likes to pay taxes, it makes it easier to pay them by knowing that the money will be used at home to make our city and county and better place to live.

Being in a friendly, small-town atmosphere like Greenville provides us many luxuries that larger cities only wish they had. But, if we do not support what we have, we could lose it. Part of what makes this city so pleasant is the success of our downtown merchants. Supporting them is essential in maintaining our beautiful downtown/uptown area and hopefully it will help some of those empty building along Commerce Street

become occupied with another thriving business in the near future.

The folks who own the stores are people who live in our community and support the growth of Greenville, both by supplying revenue through taxes and through money and time given of their own doing, such as supporting the United Fund and school programs like school-to-work. These merchants care about their community much more than the malls and

superstores. By supporting our own businesses we are not only helping our neighbors provide for their families, but we are also giving money that will improve our entire community's future.

The truth is that not everything on our wish lists can be found here in Greenville. But, a vast majority of them are right here along the streets of the Camellia City and if something is here, that is where it should be purchased. By doing this, we at least get a little of our money back in some form or fashion. Who knows, maybe next year the one item that we had to travel to a super mall to find will be right here in Greenville. By supporting downtown merchants, downtown is given a chance to grow. Without support, we will one day be spending as much on travel expenses as we do for gifts.