By Peggy Sturdivant

“I will not take no for an answer,” Camelion Design owner Nicole Vandermeulen said at an early morning meeting in early October. The Front Steps committee of Ballard Merchants and Ballard Chamber of Commerce had been working their way to lighting Ballard for the 2013 holidays during even the sun-lit summer months.

Vandermeulen was talking about asking businesses to contribute to the cost of wrapping the trees of Ballard before the holidays, whether or not they considered it helpful for their business, but as a way pulling together and lifting the fortunes of all Ballard businesses. She was far from alone. Mike Stewart from the Ballard Chamber and Legh Burns of re-souL took on speaking to building owners and developers as well as merchants.

Meeting before business hours in Market Street shoes every month the Front Steps committee was planning much more than illumination for the holidays. They were brainstorming and implementing ideas that would help Ballardites “give local” while shopping local. Hence the idea of “Ballard Gives Black Friday” for the day after Thanksgiving, in which merchants dedicate a portion of sales to charities and non-profits.

Knowing that thousands of children would be trooping past Ballard merchants on Halloween the merchants and Chamber of Commerce pitched in to create a refrigerator magnet listing all the events. In preparation for the holiday season and to encourage shopping local within their own ranks businesses donated gift cards and certificates for a communal pot. As many as a business contributes they get to draw in order to use as holiday gifts for their own employees. The merchants have contributed over $10,000 worth of gift certificates.

At least eleven businesses are participating in “Ballard Gives Black Friday,” with proceeds going to their preferred local cause. Market Shoes is targeting Ballard Food Bank. Drygoods Design, Filthy Rich, re-souL, Sweet Mickey’s, and Laura Bee Designs on 65th NW have all selected the Ballard Boys & Girls Club. A list of the businesses and their designation is on the Chamber website www.ballardchamber.com.

“Ballard Gives Black Friday” rolls into Small Business Saturday, a day created by American Express Co. to encourage consumers to support independent businesses on Saturday, November 30th. Applying his own passion to the cause, award-winning writer Sherman Alexie proposed having authors at booksellers, a plan he calls Indie First Day. Appealing to all “book nerds to become booksellers” he signed his letter, Sherman Alexie, An Absolutely True Part-Time Indie.

Alexie’s idea has been embraced by the American Booksellers Association and taken up nationally, but Ballard gets to reap the reward locally. He’ll be “hand selling,” recommending books at 4 p.m. at Secret Garden. Within two months of his original idea over 1,000 authors had partnered with independent bookstores. Another big idea from Seattle.

The Indie First Day will have started when Secret Garden opens their doors at 10 a.m. with Young Adult author Kristin Halbrook, continuing through the day with Bonny Becker, Jerry Gold, Kim Baker (2-4), Sherman Alexie at 4 p.m., and Jaime Temairik and Peter Brown at 5 p.m.

Meanwhile over at Marvin’s Garden…it’s a Saturday party starting at 2 p.m. all the way through the official lighting at 5 p.m., an afternoon and evening celebration with music, hot chocolate, Santa and special guests by the Bell Tower.