The following was written by Grace Whitaker, a finalist for the 2019 SuretyBonds.com Small Business Scholarship, to accompany her video submission.

Though it may not look like much from the outside, C&S Grocery is the “heart” of Harrisburg, Missouri. Sisters Jan Sublett and Jackie Colley bought the store they had worked in growing up from their parents. They keep the store spotless, organized, and stocked with more foods and amenities than you would ever expect to find in a small-town grocery store. It offers community members groceries, a family-like atmosphere, and a place to socialize all in one. Many Harrisburg citizens are strictly loyal to the store, refusing to shop anywhere else, and it’s easy to understand why. C&S is a beacon of old-fashioned warmth and community in a world of greedy, industrial chain businesses. The business world wants you to believe that you have to be cutthroat and vicious to get to the top, but the truth is you just have to be genuine and hard working. I have been inspired by how much one business can do for a community, and how much two women can accomplish. I will carry this lesson with me for the rest of my life and will always support small businesses. They keep families, generosity, and community alive in our economy today.

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