Community Futures to recognize local businesses, community-minded individuals

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Community Futures Wild Rose has announced they are launching a new campaign with the aim of honouring local businesses, individuals and organizations which form the foundations of their local communities. 

Titled the Heart of Our Community campaign, nominations will open Dec. 1 to suggest businesses to be awarded. 

“It is a campaign that is going to run throughout all of 2025. We have 15 municipalities or communities that are members of Community Futures Wild Rose and our team broke our region down into essentially four quadrants. Each quadrant will be highlighted during one quarter of 2025,” said Amber Link, board chair of Community Futures Wild Rose. “It is multi-focused – there will be a cash award for the businesses, but we are really just hoping to raise awareness for the community members of the vital importance of our local businesses in our communities.”

Link emphasized the campaign not only as an opportunity for a local business to win an available cash prize, but also to raise awareness about how local businesses contribute to their communities. 

She added recent business walks throughout the local region revealed many small- and medium-sized businesses face challenges due to increases in online shopping which began during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, despite concerns regarding COVID-19 being largely resolved, many are choosing the greater convenience of online, or the affordability of big box stores over supporting their local businesses.

“At this point we are just planning to do this through 2025, so the communities that will be in quarter one, like January through March of 2025, the nominations will open up on Dec. 1, but it will be focusing on the businesses in the Strathmore, Rockyford, Standard, Hussar, Gleichen, Bassano, and Wheatland County Region,” said Link. “Then we are going to move into our northeast quadrant which includes Trochu, Three Hills, Carbon, Rosebud, and Kneehill County. Then in the third quarter we are going to move up into that northwest quadrant of Community Futures Wild Rose, more into the Torrington, Linden, Acme, and surrounding areas.”

The fourth quarter will see a return to Wheatland County, which will also include Chestermere, Langdon, Dalemead, Carseland, and an assortment of surrounding communities.

Currently there are no plans to run the campaign post 2025, however it is something that Community Futures Wild Rose may consider based on the success of this program. 

Come Dec. 1, those who are interested in learning more or nominating a business will be able to do so through a QR code which will be released at launch. Criteria for businesses or individuals to win the recognition will be determined by Community Futures Wild Rose.