Sen. Helming Encourages Residents to Participate in Small Business Saturday

GENEVA – Senator Pam Helming is encouraging local residents throughout the Wayne-Finger Lakes region to support small businesses in their communities during Small Business Saturday on Saturday, Nov. 25. Started by American Express in 2010, this annual, nationwide event brings attention to the importance of supporting small businesses in communities across America. Last year, 112 million shoppers spent $15.4 billion at small businesses on Small Business Saturday.

“Our downtowns are the heart of our communities, so it is vitally important to the future of our region that we support our small businesses. When you make a purchase at a small business, you are not just helping drive economic development and job creation. You are helping support someone’s family – someone who is perhaps a neighbor or a friend. As we approach the holiday season, I encourage local residents to take the time to check out all that our small businesses have to offer,” Senator Helming said.

In New York State, small businesses make up 98 percent of all businesses and employ more than half of the state’s private sector workforce. To view a map of the small businesses in your community and find more information on Small Business Saturday, please visit www.shopsmall.com. To learn more about the small businesses in our region, please contact the Chamber of Commerce in your community or visit one of the following business organizations:

• Cayuga County Chamber of Commerce at www.cayugacountychamber.com,
• Ontario County Development at http://directory.ontariocountydev.org,
• Seneca County Chamber of Commerce at www.fingerlakesgateway.com/seneca-county-chamber-of-commerce,
• Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce at www.tompkinschamber.org,
• Wayne County Business Council at www.waynecountybusinesscouncil.com, or
• Webster Chamber of Commerce at www.websterchamber.com.

Senator Helming represents the 54^th Senate District, which consists of Seneca and Wayne Counties, parts of Cayuga and Ontario Counties, and the towns of Lansing and Webster. For more information, please visit Senator Helming’s website, or follow @SenatorHelming on Facebook or Twitter.

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