Candace Carr, Superhero in The 3/50 Project

Gather around, boys and girls, as I tell you a story from a mystical place where a wonderful retailer named Candace lives. Nestled in this mystical village is her lovely store, where she sells garden and gifts items that delight customers, bringing joy to their lives.

Candace is a special kind of person, in that she doesn’t just think of herself, but thinks of others around her, wanting everyone to be happy and prosper. Sure, she could just focus on me-me-me, toiling toward being the sole success in town, but that’s not who she is.

Candace, you see, is really a superhero in mere mortal clothing.

So, in the course of her days as a superhero incognito, Candace came across something called The 3/50 Project, recognizing it as a way to help everyone enjoy prosperity in the mystical village. Rather than horde its magical message all for herself, she shared it with people far and wide-—including The Wise Leaders in town who thought it was…hmm…interesting…even “cute”…but then nothing happened. They went on with their usual business without sharing the magical message The 3/50 Project provided.

Perplexed and puzzled, Candace continued talking to The Wise Leaders, trying in her gentle-yet-superhero way to help them see the light that comes with supporting local business. After all, thousands of businesses and community groups across the kingdom were embracing The 3/50 Project with enthusiasm and gusto, experiencing positive results from coast to coast.

Frustrated and sad that The Wise Leaders didn’t seem to hear the mystical sounds of success in the making, Candace decided to put on her superhero cape and make things happen.

One day, Candace sat at her computer and assembled a list of Chambers of Commerce, Main Streets organizations, cities, and towns who had signed up as Supporters on The 3/50 Project website. She typed that list into an email, then sent it off to The Wise Leaders, certain a visual representation of how many other Wise Leaders believed in this would do the trick.

And it did.

Thanks to superhero Candace, The Wise Leaders registered as Supporters of The 3/50 Project. The word will spread…the magic will be shared…and other businesses in the village will blossom as the wise leaders help bring the message to their community and the fine folks who live there.

Candace, in the meantime, has lovingly hung her superhero cape back in the closet for another day, confident that together, the residents of the village truly can make a difference.

Moral of the story:
If you can’t get the attention of your local business organizations by asking them to actively get behind The 3/50 Project, pop a list of their peers on the table in front of ‘em. Visuals have one heck of a way of putting things in perspective.

Here’s the list Candace sent…and it’s only partial. There are more where these came from…a lot more.

• Andersonville Chamber of Commerce
• Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce
• Belleville Main Street
• Berwyn Development Corporation
• City of Batavia
• City of Geneva
• City of Lake Forest
• Downtown Geneva Partnership
• Glen Ellyn Chamber of Commerce
• Glen Ellyn Economic Development Corporation
• Hinsdale Chamber of Commerce
• Illinois Quad City Chamber of Commerce
• Lake Forest/Lake Bluff Chamber of Commerce
• Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce
• Lombard Area Chamber of Commerce and Industry
• Lombard Town Center
• Main Street Libertyville
• Merchandise Mart Properties Inc.
• Monticello Chamber of Commerce
• Oak Lawn Chamber of Commerce
• Oak Park Arts District Business Association
• Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce
• Roscoe Village Chamber of Commerce
• Shop Local Peoria
• Six Corners Association
• The Chicago Mart
• Village of Barrington
• Village of Hinsdale
• Woodridge Area Chamber of Commerce

Thanks for being the superheroes who make this work, folks. You’re tops in my book.