Summer is a great time to get involved in your community. It doesn\u2019t matter if your community has more than 75,000 people like Saint Joseph, Missouri, where our corporate headquarters is located, or just a few more than 750 dwellers like Alexis, Illinois, where this article is written from, communities thrive in the summer, and people notice when businesses get involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From the summer softball leagues to small town festivals, county fairs and pageants, there are a myriad of ways for businesses to get involved in their community. They don\u2019t all have to involve a lot of extra time, money or resources, but they will likely garner some type of appreciation. End users notice when businesses give back and often, that will gain your business a little extra revenue too. Here\u2019s a look at a few ways businesses can get involved on the Local Team this summer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Be a Mentor<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n There is often nothing more rewarding than mentoring a young person. Serve as a mentor to a young person who might be interested in pursuing a career in sales, marketing, nutrition or feed manufacturing. Offer your time to the person to come job shadow you at your company for a few days throughout the summer so they can see various aspects of your career, ask questions and get a feel for what you do. Be sure to follow any safety regulations,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Provide a Space<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Perhaps there is a group of young people trying to raise money for an educational trip to Washington D.C., or some other place that wants to have a bake sale or sell fresh produce from their garden. Surely you have a place at your store front for an 8-foot table to allow these kids to sell their goodies. These young people won\u2019t forget your kindness, neither will their relatives. And don\u2019t forget to bring some cash that day; you\u2019ll probably need some of Grandma Betty\u2019s cookies or some fresh tomatoes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Join the Parade<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n At least in the Midwest, it seems there is never a shortage of parades. Fourth of July. Let\u2019s have a parade. The county fair. Let\u2019s have a parade. A random Wednesday after wheat harvest. Let\u2019s have a parade! Parades often have themes and are a fun, relatively inexpensive way to showcase your business. Showcase your company, your employees\u2019 cute kids and throw out some candy, and get involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n