SUSSEX COUNTY, Del. - Small businesses in Sussex County, Delaware, and throughout the country were recognized this week as part of Small Business Week, which runs from April 30 through May 6.
The U.S. Small Business Administration has celebrated the work of small businesses for over 50 years. This year, multiple businesses in southern Delaware were chosen for awards and were visited by U.S. Senator Tom Carper and Michelle Harris, director of the Delaware district.
"We want to make sure that small businesses and members of the community understand how important it is to support them," Harris told WRDE. "We want to encourage everyone, when you can shop small, shop small."
Katey Evans, an owner of T.S. Smith Orchard Point Market in Bridgeville, was one of the businesses visited by the senator and director on Friday. She said that she appreciates what the week does for businesses like hers.
"To have the opportunity to share what we're dealing with as small business owners, like things that we can use their help with when it comes to running and operating a small business, was definitely beneficial for us," Evans said.
Throughout the week, several awards were won by area businesses in different categories, including:
- the award for rural small business of the year, which went to the Brimming Horn Meadery in Milton.
- the award for best woman-owned business of the year, which went to Heirloom Restaurant in Lewes.
- the award for best veteran-owned small business of the year, which went to Fly High Cheer and Tumble in Camden.
- the award for best minority-owned small business of the year, which went to NorthNode Group Counseling in Dover.
- the award for small business people of the year, which went to Jonathan and Monika Urquhart and Andreas Janke of the Bavarian Bakery and Deli in Dover.
Each year the Frank J. Masley Champion Award, which is named after a late entrepreneur, community advocate, and former Olympian, goes to an organization that exemplifies commitment, heart, drive, and positive impact on Delaware's small business community. This year, the award went to La Plaza Delaware in Georgetown, which aims to help multicultural entrepreneurs start and expand their businesses.
Gertha Jean, CEO of One Way Insurance Group, shared her excitement with WRDE about the expansion of her business that includes a mobile office in a van to reach customers in different communities.
"We want to motivate other small businesses out there who are like us, who started from scratch, to go ahead and follow their dreams and do something that they think is impossible," Jean said.
