McCollum Statement Celebrating First-Ever National Bakery Day

Mr. Speaker, I rise today, on September 28, to celebrate the first ever National Bakery Day and to honor our independent bakeries.

Local and family-owned bakeries put bread on our tables and a touch of sweetness in our lives, all while reflecting the uniqueness of our neighborhoods. They're small businesses that invest in Main Street and provide good jobs and give back to our communities in many ways.

Grandma's Bakery, in White Bear Lake, Minnesota and others like it around the country succeed along with their communities. Located in historic downtown White Bear Lake, Grandma's owners John and Deb Lupo employ 100 hundred staffmembers making delicious breads, delectable pastries and other goodies. By investing in the bakery and the community, John and Deb have grown Grandma's Bakery into a beloved institution and a destination in White Bear Lake.

All across Saint Paul and the East Metropolitan area, independent bakeries are part of the lifeblood of their neighborhoods—like Dorothy Ann Bakery in Woodbury, the excellent Saint Paul bakeries A Piece of Cake, Wuollet's, PJ Murphy, Trung Nam, Morelos, Mojo Monkey Donuts, Pancho Villa, and so many others. Bakeries are special places that deliver wholesome goodness and a place for neighbors to gather.

National Bakery Day is a way to celebrate not only the important role that bakeries play in our lives, but also the creativity and talent required of bakers to make the tasty baked goods that are so hard for us to turn down. Bakeries help us preserve and enjoy the individual character of the community and the traditions passed down from generation to generation.

Bakeries are with us not only during meals, but also during important and joyous moments in our lives such as weddings, birthdays and graduations. In recognition of National Bakery Day, I thank independent, local bakers around the country for the important place that they hold in our communities.