What MerCruiser means to my community

Choosing a topic to write about this week was easy; it is a subject that is being discussed around every water cooler, over every cup of coffee, and yes, even at the local beauty salons.  MerCruiser.  Will they stay?  Will they go?  I think the state of limbo our citizens are in right now must be the hardest part of this decision making process.

MerCruiser has been an excellent corporate citizen over the years, supporting schools, special events, city functions and more. In fact, you will find many MerCruiser employees volunteering and working on community boards which serve every element of our city.   Someone recently asked me the question, “how does the plant shutting down affect me?”  Needless to say, this question troubled me.  How could it NOT affect you?  Every employee at MerCruiser is a member of the Stillwater family.  They own homes, shop in our stores, buy their vehicles here, pay their taxes to our county and government, add money to our collection plates, the list is endless.  If those employees have to make a decision to leave our city, where do you think that will money go?  It definitely won’t stay without them.    

For me, it isn’t just about money or good business sense.  I know these people; in fact, at one time my husband was an employee of MerCruiser.  I have personal relationships still today with many people at the plant.  I believe you would be very hard pressed to find someone in Stillwater who didn’t have a personal connection with at least one employee there.  I know their faces, I feel their apprehension, the worry, the stress you can see it every time you look at them.    

This is the reason I am supporting MerCruiser and the many employees of the Stillwater facility.   It is the same reason I put signs out in Downtown Stillwater, the same reason I encourage you to support this cause.  MerCruiser is a part of our community, they are a part of this big extended family that Stillwater really is. As a part of that family, shouldn’t we all extend our hand and offer our support?