This weekend’s “America Unchained” event is just one link in a three-fold effort to increase awareness and vitality of locally owned businesses.

According to Julie Levy, chair of the Sustainable Local Economic Development Group, or SLED, work is also under way on the creation of a “Be Local” coupon book and a local independent business alliance.

Talk has been swirling around an independent business alliance for a few years, but Levy said interested parties have reached a consensus on the group’s umbrella organization. She said the local model will be based

the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies, aka BALLE. Founded in 2001 in Philadelphia, the group grown to encompass more than 50 independently operated local business networks with 15,000 members. The goal is to build long-term economic empowerment and prosperity through local business ownership. Levy said the local effort will offer a support system for local business owners. “It will provide a network for business owners to support each other,” she said

As for the coupon book, it will be modeled on similar, successful ventures in Bellingham, Wash., and Fort

Collins. Levy said she expects copies to be available by next summer, in time for the start of the Farmer’s Market. She said a campaign to sign up local businesses for coupons will likely kick off next month, as will the effort to form the local IBA.

“We’re still working out the details, but it will likely be a ppocess where, as we start to sell coupons over the next two months, we’ll ask businesses if they would like to join,” she said.

For more information, call Levy at 946-6553.

-Missy Votel