Celebrating Local Businesses: Share Your Favorite to Enter Our Prize Drawing

Posted on April 17, 2024 at 6:00 am

By Crystal Miller

May is National Small Business Month, and Spokane County Library District (SCLD) is celebrating local small businesses in our communities with programs and prize drawings throughout the month.

This celebration promotes the entrepreneurial spirit found throughout Spokane County and recognizes the small businesses and entrepreneurs who play a crucial role in strengthening the economy of our communities.

Share Your Favorite Business to Enter the Prize Drawing

SCLD is starting the celebration early in April, and you can participate to be entered into our prize drawings.

Those stellar local businesses that provide us with great customer service deserve our kudos. To enter our prize drawing, share your favorite local businesses with the library in four of our communities:

• Cheney
• Deer Park
• Medical Lake
• Millwood (Argonne Library)

Simply visit the library in the same community as the business and fill out a quick form, telling us which local business you love and why. Each library will hold a drawing from the submitted forms, and each winner will receive a gift card to their chosen local business.

Prizes are sponsored by the Friends of the Library organizations in Cheney, Deer Park, and Millwood.

Libraries are accepting forms April 15–May 22, during open hours.

Prize drawings will be held May 23–25.

Programs Highlighting Local Businesses

You can sign up for these workshops and tours that highlight local businesses and organizations.

Millwood Historical Walking Tour

During this guided walk around Millwood’s Historic Business District and the neighborhood it serves, learn about the historic homes and varied architecture of this unique area. Discover the vibrant business district that provided the essentials for the residents of early Millwood. Afterward, the group will gather to enjoy refreshments provided by the Friends of the Argonne Library. This program is for adults and teens and is led by local historian Greg Mott.

Registration is required. The location for the start of this walking tour will be emailed to registered participants.

Bicycle Tire Replacement

Learn how to change a bicycle tire the proper way. We also go over how to perform a safety check on your bike before each ride. This program is for adults and is presented by Robin DeRuwe from Fitness Fanatics.

Registration is required.

Historic Downtown Cheney Walking Tour

During a four-block stroll from the library, we are weaving the story of Cheney’s early boom days, the fires, and the historic brick buildings that form our ever-changing downtown. We end our walk at The Mason Jar for refreshments and conversation. This program is for adults and is led by Joan Mamanakis, Director of the Southwest Spokane County Historical Society.

Registration is required.

Hatha Yoga

We go through guided postures to warm up the body, while also holding poses and doing breathwork. We will focus on strength and flexibility as well as relaxation and mindfulness. This class is good for Yogis of all levels to help improve stability and focus. This program is for adults and is led by a practitioner from The Wellness Vault.

Registration is required.

Programs for Local Businesses

If you’re a small business owner or entrepreneur, you can gain skills and knowledge to help your business grow and thrive. SCLD has partnered with SCORE Spokane to bring you monthly online workshops. Here are two upcoming workshops that may be of interest.

Create an Email Campaign in 15 Minutes or Less

Learn how to create effective emails that look great on any device and get your subscribers to take action. In this workshop, we go step by step through creating and sending your first email campaign. Discover the seven essential elements of email design, learn a simple, persuasive formula for what to write, and save time with a reusable template. We’ll also discuss the questions you have about email campaigns. This program is presented by a business mentor from SCORE Spokane.

Registration is required.

Social Media Basics for Business

Bring your questions about social media for business. We will discuss your specific questions as well as the basics for setting up a business page or account and creating business ads on social media platforms. We also discuss the latest trends in social media. This program is presented by a business mentor from SCORE Spokane.

Registration is required.

Resources For Businesses, Entrepreneurs & Startups

Did you know that SCLD has online resources to help you and your business succeed? You can find free help to write your business plan, marketing plan, and more.

Looking for training for you or your employees? With a business library card, you and your employees can access LinkedIn Learning, Udemy, and Gale Courses at no charge, to refresh or gain new skills that improve or enhance your business.

See how the library helps support small businesses on our Business Matters web page.

Spokane County Library District has also partnered with Spokane Public Library, which serves the city of Spokane, to bring StartUp Spokane: Spokane’s Free Business Resource Hub to all of Spokane County. There, you can access cutting-edge business resources that will help your business succeed.

If you have any questions or would like one-on-one help to review any of SCLD’s resources, you can schedule a Book-A-Librarian appointment. During your appointment, you get personalized help from library staff on your topic of interest. These appointments are available in person, by phone, and via an online video session.

Crystal Miller is a Business and Career Development Librarian at Spokane County Library District as well as the Community Librarian for Cheney Library, creating library programs, connecting with the Cheney community, and supporting local businesses and job seekers. In her free time, she enjoys her daily walks with her two dogs, trying out new recipes, and listening to audiobooks on the Libby app!

Tags: adults, business, community, local business, prize drawing