Retailers down on their luck after last week?s power failuer will be asked today to dig into their pockets to support the ?Buy Bermuda? campaign.

Kristi Grayston, co-chair of the Bermuda Chamber of Commerce?s retail division, told on Friday that she and co-chair Somers Cooper will start knocking on retailers? doors this morning looking for contributions for the marketing campaign to encourage Bermuda residents to support local stores.

?This has been a pretty big blow,? Mrs. Grayston said of the power failure, adding that it was also a blow to the chamber?s drive to get donations for the ?Buy Bermuda? campaign.

The campaign costs up to $50,000 a year to run, with this year?s drive kicking off in October, ahead of the Christmas shopping rush.

The chamber revealed recently that only ten percent of its retail membership support the ?Buy Bermuda? effort. It was set up to encourage locals to spend more of their shopping dollars at home instead of abroad after retail sales declined because of falling visitor arrivals and generally more conservative spending habits in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Mrs. Grayston said despite the events of the past week, she and Mr. Cooper would hit the pavement looking for dollars to support the marketing campaign, which has largely been funded by the banks up to this point.

?Some have already said they would help. It has been a slow but steady start,? Mrs. Grayston said.

Mrs. Grayston, who runs the two Pulp & Circumstance stores in Hamilton, said she realised shopkeepers would have other things on their mind today, with it being the first chance for many to re-open their doors since Thursday?s power failure.

She hoped retailers would understand the importance of the campaign and ?not shoot the messenger? when she and Mr. Cooper come knocking.

A Belco spokesperson said that the majority of Hamilton buildings had had power restored by Saturday night, with the remainder hooked up by 5 a.m. yesterday.