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Chamber breakfast to highlight small business of the year
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Four locally-owned small businesses will be recognized at the Effingham County Chamber’s monthly membership breakfast, slated for Wednesday at 7:30 a.m. at First Baptist Church-Rincon’s Memorial Chapel.

The breakfast is a local recognition of National Small Business Week and one of the four outstanding small businesses will be named Effingham’s “2009 Small Business of the Year,” according to Chamber officials.

“There are about 1,200 small businesses in Effingham County and we are excited about recognizing the contributions these enterprises make in our community,” Chamber President Michael Lee of Citizens Bank of Effingham said.

The contributions of small business are immense, say Chamber officials. Of Georgia’s 625,000 incorporated businesses, over 95 percent have fewer than 50 employees. They account for over $27.2 billion in sales and over 177,000 jobs in the state.

In Effingham County, over 95 percent of businesses hire 20 or fewer people.  

“These businesses are actively involved in the community. Besides providing millions in payroll dollars, the sales dollars generated here flow through the economy three to four times,” Lee said. “Along with the economic impact, small business also plays a vital role in contributing to our community’s quality of life. These are the types of firms who donate their time, talent and money to community and social causes across the board — from local sports and recreation programs, school or church activities, and local, regional and national charities. In many ways, they are the backbone of our community and our economy.”

The breakfast is being coordinated by the Chamber’s Entrepreneur Friendly Task Force and will also feature a preview of an upcoming Chamber seminar on identify theft and a cooperative summer work program for students and participating small businesses.

Reservations for the May 20 membership breakfast are $12 for Chamber members and $20 for non-members. RSVP by calling the Effingham County Chamber of Commerce at 754-3301 or going to the Chamber’s Web site: www.effinghamcounty.com/calendar.2.0.html and register online.