[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 41 (Monday, March 2, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S1253]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    RECOGNIZING THE GATHERING PLACE

 Mr. RISCH. Mr. President, as a member and former chairman of 
the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each month 
I recognize and celebrate the American entrepreneurial spirit by 
highlighting the success of a small business in my home State of Idaho. 
Today I am pleased to honor The Gathering Place located in Bonners 
Ferry as the Idaho Small Business of the Month for March 2020.
  In 2006, Norv and Sharon Skrivseth founded Sharon's Country Store as 
a side business in the basement of their home. The store was an 
immediate success, and it soon burgeoned into a thriving storefront 
providing local jobs and opportunities to the Bonners Ferry community. 
Eventually, Sharon's Country Store expanded to include the Bread Basket 
Bakery in 2014 and the 3-Mile Produce Stand in 2016. As the business 
grew, friends and customers started referring to the stores as ``The 
Gathering Place,'' and the Skrivseths happily embraced the new title.
  Today, The Gathering Place continues to be run Norv, Sharon, and 
their six children. With the motto ``Come, Sit, and Stay Awhile,'' the 
businesses continues to attract locals and travelers alike with its 
wide array of homemade products, fresh food, and produce. The 
Skrivseths' warm hospitality and a commitment to service translates not 
only into a superior experience for their customers, but also into 
strong community engagement. Norv and Sharon are considered pillars in 
the Bonners Ferry community, often donating to various charitable 
causes and school events throughout the area. Success stories like that 
of The Gathering Place demonstrate why Idaho is consistently ranked one 
of the best places in the country to do business.
  Congratulations to Norv, Sharon, and all of the employees of The 
Gathering Place on being selected as the Idaho Small Business of the 
Month for March 2020. You make our great State proud, and I look 
forward to your continued growth and success.

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