SCORE celebrates entrepreneurs

This year's national Small Business Week observance honors the estimated 25.5 million small businesses in America that create 76 percent of all new jobs. The Service Corps of Retired Executives salutes small-business owners who are the major generators of new jobs in the local economy. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, SCORE was formed in 1964 as a nonprofit association dedicated to entrepreneur education and the formation, growth and success of small business nationwide. More than 11,500 volunteer members provide individual counseling and business workshops for aspiring entrepreneurs and small-business owners. To date, SCORE has assisted more than 4.5 million Americans with small-business counseling.

Southwest Missouri has three SCORE chapters to: Springfield, the Camdenton/ Lake Ozark area and the Branson/Tri-Lakes area. All SCORE counseling is free and confidential.

The Springfield Chapter is participating in local Small Business Week festivities by presenting a pre-business workshop, beginning at 8:30 a.m. May 8 at the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, 202 S. John Q. Hammons Pkwy. For more information about SCORE or the workshop, contact the Springfield branch office of the SBA, or visit www.score.org online.