It’s called a “cash mob” and it seeks to bring people together to support one business by pledging to spend up to $20 in one local business at one specific time and day. Each person who participates, wears a Cash Mob badge with their name on it so the business can identify the person as a Cash Mob member. Businesses get “mobbed” with business all at one time. Those businesses who get “mobbed” see an immediate increase in their bottom line and many of the members of the Cash Mob discover a business that they may have never knew existed. Last week the members mobbed the Del Norte County museum and the Marine Mammal Rescue Center. Many local commercial businesses are now scheduled to be mobbed .

The people responsible for putting together all of the organization necessary to make it run like a well oiled machine is Valerie Smith and her mother. They are creating momentum and buzz with citizen action that insures results. They need to be commended for their courage to forge ahead with this idea and turn it into a reality.

The only real solution to creating economic vitality is for ordinary citizens to bootstrap their own efforts to get involved and really make a difference. That’s what is happening right here and now in Del Norte County. Regular people have discovered that they alone hold the future of our community in their hands. They have found out that by banding together they can make a critical economic difference for businesses right here in Del Norte county.

The fact is that if we really want to make a difference in moving our area towards economic growth and independence we have to get personally involved. Yes we can make a difference, but the operative word is “we.” It’s time we stopped complaining and being negative and started to be positive about our future and thank Valerie and her mom for making a difference in our town and county.