I’d like to pose a simple question. What brand of light bulbs do you purchase? Where do you buy them? Do you not know? Not care? Do you insist on bargain shopping for the cheapest option? Wait until you’re fumbling through the house with a dimming flashlight and then rush to the nearest open store and grab the first couple of boxes in sight? Or do you consciously support a major Tioga County industry?
Located in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, OSRAM Sylvania manufactures incandescent light bulbs (glass envelopes) and employs nearly 225 people. When you purchase Sylvania light bulbs, you support hundreds of Tioga County residents. You demonstrate your appreciation for the hard work which goes into producing a good product. You help boost their sales and pay their employees. You make a direct impact. If you purchase another brand, you take market share away from one of our companies and give it to a competitor.
Of course, Sylvania light bulbs are only one of a multitude of examples of the types
of quality Tioga County made products. Consider honey, candles, maple syrup, window shutters, chocolate, power cords and even SUVs with parts made in Tioga County. They are only a handful of the countless first-rate, unique and useful goods and services locally made and/or sold. You can make the choice to Buy Tioga County. I make a daily conscious effort to buy Tioga County goods and services, to the greatest extent possible. I know this decision to spend and keep my money in Tioga County is a direct affirmation of my support of and pride in Tioga County business and industry.
Through the Buy Tioga County Campaign, we seek to both inform and excite Tioga County consumers about the myriad of exceptional buying opportunities in Tioga County. I believe the purchasing power of the 42,000 local residents is tremendous. The money spent in Tioga County on products made and/or sold in Tioga County will stay in Tioga County. A dollar spent here will roll over multiple times, for wages, mortgages, groceries and entertainment, etc. The resulting cyclic effect will help boost our County’s economy and demonstrate our support for our neighbors and friends who manufacture, create and sell in Tioga County. Spending your money at the mall, on the internet or on catalog orders prevents many of those dollars from passing through our County. Buying locally whenever possible helps our neighbors and our businesses. In addition to this type of direct impact, our purchases will also help strengthen the market share of the companies in their respective industries.
I encourage you to do some research. Find out about the quality products made in Tioga County, the labels they are sold under, where they can be purchased and who you will be helping through this deliberate manner of shopping. Better yet, let us do the research for you. In the upcoming weeks, Buy Tioga County articles and advertisements will be appearing in the local newspapers, on the radio and cable television and elsewhere. Let us introduce you to the excellent products, services, manufacturers and sellers found in Tioga County. We will be showcasing interesting facts and little known information to help you recognize all of the great local products and services. We are currently in the process of developing a website for the Buy Tioga County Campaign. In the near future, you will be able to visit www.buytiogacounty.com to learn more detailed information about the participating businesses and the campaign itself.
Let’s make a concerted effort to Buy Tioga County. Look for Tioga County products at local businesses. If they are not available in certain stores, ask the owners to kindly carry them. I believe the impact of an informed and enthusiastic population will be remarkable. Use your voice and your purchasing power to make a notable difference in Tioga County . . . a place to call home.
Robert J. Blair
President/Chief Executive Officer
Tioga County Development Corporation
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