Fifty-four years ago, President John F. Kennedy announced that the United States would recognize and celebrate small businesses during the first week in May, and announced the first ever National Small Business Week.

Every president since has also declared the week a time to recognize our small-business owners and operators and the contributions that they make to the overall well-being of our economic and business climate. A small business is an independent business with 500 or fewer employees.While I agree with the title of a Bloomberg article; "Every Week Is Small Business Week. This Week It's Official" by Patrick Clark from 2013, I also love that we take this time to recognize and celebrate our small businesses here in Carbon County and across the country.This week also serves as a great reminder that supporting our local businesses is one of the best investments we can make into our communities and our futures with 48 cents from every dollar spent locally, staying local.Small businesses are the backbone of every great community. They make up our grocery stores, pharmacies, hardware stores.Small-business owners are cooking up our great meals and keeping us healthy at the local gyms, spas and wellness centers. They are keeping us on track with our Internet security, fixing our cars when they break and even providing us one-of-a-kind fashions for work and play. Small-business owners here in Carbon County and around the nation are serving our needs in more ways than one!In addition to filling our lives with products and services, small businesses are employing more than half of the American workforce, either as owner-operators or employees with nearly 14.9 million jobs in total.And, according to the Small Business Administration's website, continue to employ thousands of new workers with two out of every three new jobs being created in the small-business sector.Entrepreneurs can find more information on starting a business or growing their business at our office by calling 610-379-5000.In addition to offering small business lending, sessions are provided through the SBA at our office the first Friday of every month.You can learn more about Small Business Week and how you can celebrate by visiting

www.sba.gov/nsbw.