It’s that time of year again when communities are encouraged to consider the many benefits that small businesses contribute to their lives each and every day.

It’s so important to recognize the local businesses in our community, and what better way to do it than running a Small Business Week feature with the Red Deer & District Chamber of Commerce.

This year, Small Business Week runs Oct. 14th-20th, and this year’s theme, put forward by the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), is Digitize now: Transform your Business.

With an increasingly connected, automated and data-driven world, businesses need to learn to embrace new technologies or they may risk falling behind, according to the BDC website.

Many businesses are featured in the annual supplement, which is done to celebrate the incredible contributions that those in small and medium enterprises do for the community.

There are a wide range of businesses featured from a collision repair shop to a clothing store to a centre that helps children who have experienced sexual abuse and other forms of trauma. Some of the businesses featured help to make a difference in the lives of many people in and around Central Alberta and they deserve to be recognized.

Oftentimes, owners of small businesses work around the clock to ensure success, but also to ensure their customers are getting what they want and need. They not only offer employment in our community, but many of them give back to the community. With so many events in Red Deer that support various organizations and great community causes, you can oftentimes catch small business owners there giving back to make a difference in the lives of others.

We often hear the words, ‘Shop local’, and this week, let’s remember those words as we recognize the work that small business owners do each and every day in our community.