Catherine Martinez took the first leap of faith there, becoming the first person to accept an HOUR, for her samosa. James Cummins of Littletree Orchards did likewise. Tens of thousands of conversations have defined local money and have carried it forward. History is made by public action like this, rather than by special leaders. The general public selects and rejects leaders daily, before knowing their names, without waiting to vote.
History pushes individuals forward to meet human needs.
Thus my own role, regarded as pivotal, merely was the tool of the community's need. During research into our local economy in 1989, I noticed that a little county in South Dakota printed coupons for downtown merchant X-mas promotion, the first I had ever heard of local currency. During May 1991, local student Patrice Jennings asked to interview me about the Ithaca LETS system. This conversation strongly reinforced my interest in barter, and Patrice suggested we revive a grassroots trading system. Local merchant Tom Koslowski encouraged the idea of local currency when it was mentioned to him.