The 2016 Hampshire Area Chamber of Commerce Home & Business Expo at Gary D. Wright Elementary School this weekend offered a variety of activities and the chance to visit the booths of 32 exhibitors.
“Every vendor space was filled,” said Loree Hendry, chamber executive director.
Attendees who visited all of the booths shown on the bingo sheet could turn it in for a chance to win a prize.
Amanda Acker of Hampshire won the children’s game day gift basket.
Hampshire resident Judy Johnson won a 50-inch Vizio LED flat screen television.
Kim Spena, also of Hampshire, won eight Kane County Cougar tickets plus a free parking pass at the stadium. The Cougar tickets and children’s gift basket were donated by Josh Austin and Country Financial. The winners were announced by Hampshire Chamber treasurer Maile Edmonson, co-owner with Don Edmonson of Ohana Dollar Store in Hampshire.
The Hampshire Coon Creek Country Days booth announced its tentative musical entertainment schedule for the 34th annual fest, which will run on August 4 to 7. The line-up includes: New Odyssey, ARRA, Whiskey Romance, Rumor Has It, Gary Nelson, 9 Spot, Young Guns, Modern Day Romeos, and Peaches Beach Party.
In addition to live bands, the fest offers a carnival, fireworks, street parade, corn boil, beer garden, petting zoo, food vendors and craft stalls.
According to Coon Creek Country Days officials, “we all share the satisfaction of knowing the proceeds of this event will continue to be donated to our local community services and organizations.”
The Gary D. Wright Elementary School booth announced that it is holding a donation drive from 3 to 5:30 p.m. on Friday, April 29, and Monday, May 2. They are collecting clothing, shoes, accessories, books, linens and small household items. Furniture will not be accepted.
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“We are raising money for an addition to our current playground equipment,” said Gina Paszkiewicz, co-president of the Gary D. Wright Elementary School Parents Teachers Organization. “The new equipment will have a climbing system and double slide. We need to raise a total of $57,000. We have 6,200 raffle tickets for $10 each that are being sold by families. The drawing will be held on Thursday, May 12, at the PTO meeting. Raffle prizes are $500 for the first prize, $250 for the second prize, $100 for the third prize, and three fourth prizes of $50 each. People can contact the school for more information.”
Food was available at the expo from Casa Vargas Mexican Restaurant of Hampshire.
Children enjoyed climbing up and sliding down the bounce house from Midwest Tents and Events, DeKalb. They also spent time at the Letheby family’s interactive model train display. Recent additions to the display included a monorail and zombie train.
Children walked around the expo with free paper airplanes from the Village of Hampshire booth and free balloon animals from the Faithway Baptist Church of Hampshire booth. They also learned what to do in a fire emergency at the Hampshire Fire Department’s safety house.
The Hampshire Lions Club offered free hearing screenings outside the school.
Entertainment at the expo included performances by Mayer’s School of Irish Dancing and the Hampshire High School jazz band.
Denise Moran is a freelance reporter.