After the November presidential election, which provided much angst, hopefully we can switch gears and focus on other matters.
This Thanksgiving provided us hope because of recent rains in the High Plains. We know that 2024 was a rough ride for farmers and ranchers who dealt with drought and higher input costs, ranging from fuel and seed to interest rates.
Some of those factors are likely to stay. With a new administration under Donald Trump and with the Republicans taking control of the Senate in January, there will be unknowns as to the impact on regulation, trade and tax law.
Patience will be important.
With Thanksgiving behind us and Christmas and New Year’s ahead, it is a good time to count blessings and enjoy what we do know.
Many rural communities celebrate Small Business Saturday (Nov. 30) as a time to encourage their residents to think about supporting local businesses not only during Christmas shopping season, but on a year-round basis. Those initiatives should be applauded and supported because those entrepreneurs are making cash registers sing and provide an important economic generator.
First started by American Express in 2010 and cosponsored by the Small Business Administration in 2011, Small Business Saturday has helped build a renaissance for returning home to support local communities. It has been a big success. As the SBA noted in 2023, the projected spending into small businesses was about $17 billion. Since 2010, spending has totaled an estimated $201 billion.
While it may be easier to go online to order presents, Small Business Saturday is a reminder that rural communities matter. Stories abound of shoppers looking for unique gems that can be found because a charming business owner chose genuine service over the big-box store approach.
Those entrepreneurs wants to connect with their customers, share a story and maybe reminisce. Those relationships are timeless and build goodwill. Part of the patronage of shopping in a small town is that the tax dollars collected are used to help, in many cases, local schools and communities, which can provide relief from property taxes as school boards and elected officials put together plans to support budgets.
Many years ago, as a youngster growing up in northwest Kansas, I remember when farm families and their urban cousins would go to businesses to buy presents that included clothes, outdoor supplies, boots and farm toys. Store owners would put out hot chocolate and treats that made shopping trips a memorable visit.
If it seemed like we lived in a different era than many other Americans, it was because we were. Small Business Saturday may begin on Nov. 30, but it does not end on that day because building a strong community needs to be led by the private sector.
Enjoy your Christmas shopping season, and do not take for granted what your local community has to offer.
Dave Bergmeier can be reached at 620-227-1822 or [email protected].
