ANDERSON -- The McDonald County Chamber of Commerce hosted the 2021 Business Expo and Health Fair at McDonald County High School on Sept. 11, marking the first Business Expo since 2019. At the expo, there were more than 20 vendors and nearly 200 event attendees.
Terra Sanders, office administrator for the McDonald County Chamber of Commerce, said the expo is a way for community members to learn about businesses available to them in McDonald County. Sanders added that the expo offers a single location to visit businesses that are generally spread throughout multiple towns.
"Our community is such a rural area that to do the expo allows us to highlight all of our businesses," Sanders said. "It kind of just brings our community together, because we are so spread out. A lot of people may not know, 'hey, there's a coffee shop in Anderson,' you know?"
Sanders said the expo offers a sense of excitement for community members, especially following the expo cancellation due to covid-19 in 2020. Sanders said she saw excitement both in event attendees and businesses at the expo.
"I hope that they [event attendees] will feel the excitement that our members have for participating in the community," Sanders said. "Because that kind of rubs off, that positivity, that excitement that we all have for our area."
One of the vendors at the Business Expo was Opaa! Food Management, the food supplier for the McDonald County R-1 School District. Janie Daugherty, director of nutrition for the McDonald County district and Opaa! Food Management, said she wanted to participate in the expo to show the community how much the organization cares for the students in the district.
The Opaa! booth, which was complete with a waffle bar, iced coffees, and various beverages, showcased recipes students are offered at their schools. Daugherty said it's important for the community to understand Opaa!'s role in the schools, and what that experience for their students looks like.
"I want to get out into the community and do as much as we possibly can to just let people know who we are," Daugherty said. "We're the lunch ladies and the lunch guys, and I just want people to know who we are and that we care about their kids and that we're feeding them."
Another booth at the Business Expo and Health Fair featured the White Rock Fire Department and fire chief Jason Bowman. Bowman's table was complimented by trainer fire extinguishers, a uniform, smoke detectors, information packets, and of course, bowls of candy.
Bowman said he wanted to participate in the expo because he aims to increase community involvement with the White Rock Fire Department.
"We're trying to get some more community involvement," Bowman said. "And to spread a little bit of general safety information too, to the general public."
Bowman said he informed visitors at his table of the "close the door" program, teaching about safety precautions to be taken to increase safety in the event of a house fire.
In addition to various booths and vendors at the expo, raffles, drawings, a silent auction, health screenings, covid-19 vaccinations, and performances by Anderson Dance Academy students filled the event with much to do and much to see at the 2020 Business Expo and Health Fair.
