For the third week in a row, The Newtown Bee posted a question to our Facebook page to ask readers a question. This week we wanted to know, “How important is it to you to shop locally, and why?”

A new question will be posted weekly to our Facebook page for the foreseeable future. Readers are encouraged to join the conversation by checking facebook.com/thenewtownbee weekly for the latest post.

Some responses to this week’s question included, “Very important,” “Sometimes,” and “Super important.” Others shared that it is important but it can be hard; that it is more important with the continuing pandemic; and one person said that if stores are open when they are not working and if the price is reasonable, then they will shop locally.

An account for QuiXpress Car Wash posted, “As a local business, it’s very important to us! We like to shop local and support families and small businesses to help keep our community thriving.”

Some of the top most liked responses follow:

“Local small businesses,” Maple Craft Foods wrote, “are the heartbeat of a community, whether we have our own storefront, an online store, or both. We hire neighbors. We pay taxes locally. We support schools and other community volunteer organizations, and we contribute to the positive experience that out-of-towners have and remember about our town. A town cannot thrive without the vibrant lifeblood of a local business economy.”

Another person posted, “I find it is more important to me now, since the pandemic. I especially like to get my groceries from local farmers. I try to buy local even at the grocery store. If something is not in season here and it’s shipped in from far away, I will pass. It costs the environment too much to air freight in the produce.”

And another person said, “Incredibly important. I always, always shop not only local but small business as much as possible right down to jams, and veggies from road side stands before ever entering big box.”

The latest weekly question was posted on October 21 and it asks, “How aware are you of racism in Newtown and what action should be taken?”