VALDOSTA – City and county officials gathered around the Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce to observe National Small Business Week.

For more than 50 years, the U.S. Small Business Administration has observed National Small Business Week, which recognizes the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners, and now Lowndes County is joining in the celebrations.

Mayor Scott James Matheson was joined by Christie Moore, Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce president and chief executive officer, and Lowndes County Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker, District 3, to honor the 5,000 small businesses in Valdosta.

“We are so thrilled to see so many small business owners doing business not just here but around the nation,” Moore said.

Lowndes County Commission Chairman Bill Slaughter echoed similar sentiments, saying small businesses are the backbone of the community.

“They do a fantastic job of forming from not just the standpoint of employment but from the standpoint of … revenue. So they do a fantastic job for the community. and so it certainly is a great time to recognize our small businesses in our community. … It’ll be the opportunity for the community to recognize small businesses. It’s also an opportunity for small business owners to come out of the chamber to see what the chamber has to offer as far as helping them through the process of small business ownership,” he said.

For more information on small business resources, contact the Chamber of Commerce at (229) 247-8100.