The Bainbridge Island Downtown Association (BIDA) has been recognized for its Think Bainbridge/Buy Local campaign.

BIDA received the Outstanding Achievement in Promotion plaque at the Downtown Revitalization Training Institute awards banquet last week.

The awards are presented annually by the state’s Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development (CTED).

“The Bainbridge Island Downtown Association’s achievement represents the hard work taking place across the state to strengthen our downtown communities,” said Rogers Weed, director of CTED. “I congratulate them on their dedication and commitment to creating vibrant communities and growing Washington’s economy.”

The Think Bainbridge/Buy Local marketing campaign was launched last July and focuses on the positive impact of spending locally.

“The program was such a huge hit for our downtown businesses and throughout the island for its focus on shopping locally and all the reasons it benefits the local economy,” said BIDA Executive Director Ashley Armstrong.

Over 100 merchants around the island are currently participating in the buy local campaign, with a core group of 10 that work on the campaign’s committee. So far, the campaign has been a boon for local businesses.

“Talking with customers in the stores, we especially noticed during the holidays people would say they were spending a lot less, but they were determined to spend it locally,” said Sarah Wen, a campaign committee member and the owner of Kennedy and Kate. “People were connecting to the local economy and what it means to support local business. It shows that some of what we marketed was resonating with people.”

Wen said that there are future plans to expand the campaign by bringing in local farmers and artists. There is also a plan to partner with Sustainable Bainbridge to incorporate a zero-waste goal and waste-management practices that emphasize electrical use, recycling and composting within the business community.

“You can see throughout the participating stores all the reasons why shopping locally is important,” Armstrong said. “We’re really proud of the work the buy-local committee has done and the merchants who are involved.”