VALDOSTA, Ga. – On Tuesday, November 26, Mayor John Gayle and members of the community gathered downtown at Southern Grace Gifts to formally acknowledge upcoming November 30 Small Business Saturday with a proclamation.

“Downtown Valdosta Main Street is the center of locally-owned businesses,” Mayor Gayle said. “They support and celebrate the importance behind shopping local. All of our small business owners do so much for our Downtown area. I am pleased to be Mayor of a city like Valdosta, where downtown is recognized as the heart of our community. The city is always going to support downtown and every small business in Valdosta. Our backbone, our local economy is made up of many small businesses, so it’s really important for us to support those businesses.”

Also present was Valdosta Main Street Director Ellen Hill who said, “These small businesses help give downtown a distinct personality that makes shopping and visiting here a unique and special experience. Celebrating shopping local is a good time to remember the economic impact locally owned businesses have. The people who have these small businesses are your neighbors, they’re your friends, and they’re your kids’ soccer coach. It’s really important to remember that their livelihoods depend on us supporting them. Small Business Saturday and really any day that you go shopping is a perfect opportunity to support them.”

The proclamation read:

Whereas, the government of Valdosta, Georgia celebrates our local small businesses and the contributions they make to our local economy and community; according to the United States Small Business Administration, there are currently 30.2 million small businesses in the United States, they represent 99.7 percent of all businesses with employees in the United States, are responsible for 65.9 percent of net new jobs created from 2000 to 2017; and

Whereas, small businesses employ 47.5 percent of the employees in the private sector in the United States; and

Whereas, 94% of consumers in the United States value the contributions small businesses make in their community; and

Whereas, 96% of consumers who plan to shop on Small Business Saturday® said the day inspires them to go to small, independently-owned retailers or restaurants that they have not been to before, or would not have otherwise tried; and

Whereas, 92% of companies planning promotions on Small Business Saturday said the day helps their business stand out during the busy holiday shopping season; and

Whereas, 59% of small business owners said Small Business Saturday contributes significantly to their holiday sales each year; and

Whereas, Valdosta, Georgia supports our local businesses that create jobs, boost our local economy and preserve our communities; and

Whereas, advocacy groups, as well as public and private organizations, across the country have endorsed the Saturday after Thanksgiving as Small Business Saturday.

Now, Therefore, I, John Gayle, Mayor of Valdosta, Georgia do hereby proclaim, November 30, 2019, as:

SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY

And urge the residents of our community, and communities across the country, to support small businesses and merchants on Small Business Saturdayand throughout the year.

Mayor Gayle’s Proclamation of Small Business Saturday