Carolina Beach, NC (October 13, 2014) – As part of its focus on building awareness around the importance of
seeking, supporting and sustaining local business, the Island Local ™ organization is promoting participating
island businesses for a week long series of events and special deals starting on October 19. Throughout the
week, business patrons are asked to show their pride and support of local business by wearing an Island Local
t-shirt and by participating in unique events showcasing the talent and trade of these businesses. Sunday,
October 19th, Island Local ™ and the Art Culture Alliance will kick off the week with a unique opportunity for
families to help create a community pelican sculpture for public display on Pleasure Island, as well as some
other fun activities. The event, held at the Artful Living Group, is free and funded through donations made by
Island Local and the Island Arts and Culture Alliance. The week culminates with a Mini-Fall Festival and
Jack O’ lantern Art at The Veggie Wagon on Saturday, October 25th.
“Pleasure Island businesses make a tremendous contribution to our local economy and our community,” said
Steve Wright, co-founder of Island Local. “In our mission to educate consumers about the importance of
supporting local, we aim to ensure that the economy here on the island has sustainability not only during the
vacation season, but during the shoulder seasons as well.” He said. “One of the ways Island Local is doing that
is by promoting participating businesses, and partnering with them on these community campaign weeks. A
key element is creating special events to demonstrate the skill, talents, and products these businesses bring to
our local area,” he added.
During the week of October 19 – October 25, Pleasure Island businesses including, Artful Living Group,
Beachy Keen Photography, Print-A-Snap, the Art and Culture Alliance, Surfhouse Oyster Bar & Surf, Cut’n
Up Hair Salon, Good Hops Brewing, Stella & Dot, and Tip Top Frame will be hosting workshops and events
offering special opportunities and deals for consumers who participate. Many events are free and most are for
families and pets, too! A schedule of events can be found at
Islandlocal.biz. Short videos promoting the events
are available on You Tube and on the Island Local Facebook page as well.
Other Island Local ™ activities to help promote a vibrant local economy include:
Island Local ™ Fridays:
To bridge community focus and awareness to Island Local ™, visitors and locals of Pleasure Island can
purchase an Island Local ™ t-shirts at The Veggie Wagon, Salty Dog Yoga & Surf, Island Wellness Market,
or Good Hops Brewing for $20.00 and a long sleeve version for $25.00. Consumers wearing the shirt on
Island Local ™ Fridays and during community campaign weeks are able to get additional discounts at
participating businesses.
Community Campaign Weeks:
Island Local brings focus to businesses and customer deals during upcoming community campaigns including
Arts and Entertainment week in October, Merchants Week in November, Wellness Week in January;
Hospitality Week in early spring; and Focus On the Home Week in April. In addition, the Island Local organization participates in many island community events to educate the public about seeking, supporting,
and sustaining local businesses and to promote participating business supporters. They include events such as
Island Day, the Carolina Beach Dragon Boat Regatta and Festival, and the Salty Paws Festival.
Business Supporter Promotion:
Island Local business supporters join for $120.00 a year and non-profits join for $30.00 a year. These
organizations must be physically located on Pleasure Island. Marketing promotion will extend beyond the
borders of Pleasure Island so that visitors and locals throughout the Wilmington region are able to learn about
what options are available to them on Pleasure Island. The Island Local ™ website at
www.islandlocal.biz
provides information on joining, includes a directory of participating businesses, the mission of Island
Local™, and discounts provided by business supporters. For more information, please contact Steve Wright at
910.390.0244.
Island Local ™ launched in April 2014 and has more than 80 participating business supporters. Efforts of the
organization are designed to promote broader awareness and education of supporting and sustaining local.
Island Local ™ promotes participating local Pleasure Island businesses, and works to educate the community
about the benefits of keeping it local.
The
USAT-sanctioned PPD
Beach2Battleship Triathlon includes a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike
ride and a 26.2-mile run, and offers a half iron distance triathlon. The full
triathlon will begin at 7:30 a.m. and the half distance begins at 8:30 a.m. with
a swim in the channel at the southern tip of Wrightsville Beach. The full bike
course takes competitors from Wrightsville Beach, through sections of New
Hanover, Pender, Sampson and Bladen counties. The run begins at the riverfront
Wilmington Convention Center, winds through downtown, loops around Greenfield
Lake and ends on the riverwalk with a stunning view of the iconic Battleship North Carolina.
High-profile sporting events
like PPD Beach2Battleship provide a welcome economic boost for Wilmington and
the island beaches, especially during the shoulder season. Event organizers
estimate that the total economic impact of events in previous years was
approximately $4 million. This year’s event is expected to bring even more
athletes to the area who will participate in the 5K and experience the
destination.
