The 3/50 Project has caught the imagination of local businesses and shoppers in Belleville and they hope it will infuse new spending into the local economy.

   Signs have popped up in business windows and front yards all over the tri-community supporting the 3/50 idea. Some signs are placed in front yards in Van Buren Township, right next to "Recall" signs or signs to support the White team.

   The 3/50 Project, created in March by Cinda Baxter of Minneapolis, has spread across the country spreading the "buy local" creed.

   "It's really an investment program," said local 3/50 Project supporter Jane Vesche of Main Street Flowers in Belleville.

   "Customers are investing their dollars in locally owned businesses.

   "It encourages shoppers to pick three independently owned businesses and spend $50 a month at them", she said, adding they should be the three businesses that the shopper would not want to see go out of business.

   "If we all want to protect our businesses and keep them prospering into the future, it is on all of us as consumers and business people to do our part and support our small independent retail businesses.

   "Not just the gift retailers, but the dry cleaner, the restaurant, the hardware store, hair salon, dentist, chiropractor, carpet store, lumber company, party store, etc."

   Husband and wife team Jane and Ron Vesche noticed the 3/50 Project signs in Plymouth and found out more about it. It was just what Belleville needed, they said, especially with the Main Street construction that would make it hard for customers to navigate to businesses.

   She started pushing to have the project come to Belleville, but the Downtown Development Authority already had marketing projects and didn't get with the plan. So, she went forward alone.

   She went from business to business telling the story of 3/50.

   "In Belleville, a group of 35 locally owned independent businesses worked together to spread the word about the campaign," she said.

   "Each business put in $50 to print about 500 flyers, 1,000 postcards, 200 yard signs, and window signs, ads in all the local newspapers (and the new Lake Living magazine), email blogs, etc.

   "Hopefully, this is not just a fad, but will continue to pick up.

   "Educating the local citizens on the importance of buying locally is a long-learning process," Vesche said.

   "I hope that in a year from now, we will see a difference. Then we will know it was a success," Vesche said.

   Vesche passed out the signs to people and businesses in the townships because she was informed the yard signs would be against the city sign ordinance and not be welcomed in Belleville.

  The theory behind the 3/50 Project is that if just half of the employed U.S. population spent $50 each month in independently owned stores, their purchases would generate $42,629,700,000 in revenue.

   The 3/50 Project literature says: For every $100 spent in independently owned stores, $68 of it returns to the community through taxes, payroll, and other expenditures. If you spent that in a national chain, only $43 stays here. Spend it online and nothing comes home.

   The motto is: "Save your local economy ... three stores at a time."

   The website is: the350project.net .