Here’s a tip for all you dog lovers out there, coming straight from a dog: the kind of dog food that we love to chow down on the most isn’t made by massive corporations. It comes from smaller companies that pay attention to putting the highest quality, healthy ingredients into every can or bag. And this commitment to quality is something you’ll find outside of pet food—it applies to every aspect of life, such as great heating and air conditioning service.
There’s a reason that I’m thinking about small businesses right now (and no, it’s not because I’m hungry). This time last year, MK Russell & Abbott received the Best Small Business in Blount County from the Chamber of Commerce. It was an amazing honor and a terrific recognition of our personal service to families in Blount County and the amount that we give back to the community. But awards like this are meant to be shared with other types of small businesses that make it a priority to provide locals with the best products and services.
For example, previous winners of the Best Small Business Award include Ingram, Overholt and Bean, P.C., a certified public accountant specializing in helping East Tennessee companies; and Trillium Cove Home & Garden Shop (now Restoration Broadway), a home improvement store. This gives you an idea of the scope of small businesses and the way they can reach into people’s lives and enrich them in a variety of ways. You don’t have to turn to impersonal big corporations when you’re looking for end-of-the-year tax assistance, new furniture, or an energy-efficient gas furnace. And remember, when you patronize local businesses, your money goes right back into the community!
This year’s Best of Blount Awards will be given at the Clayton Center for the Arts, November 1. Along with the Business of the Year Award, there will also be awards for Philanthropist of the Year, a Community Impact Award, and the Bright Future Award. Congratulations to all the winners who help make Blount County a special place to live.
Stay cool,
Olive