Record attendance figures, great food and unique displays helped make this year’s Community Business Expo a rousing success.
‘We had about 1,200 people come through,? said Orion Chamber of Commerce Managing Director Donna Heyniger. ‘It was the biggest one we’ve had in Lake Orion.?
The expo was held on May 9 at Lake Orion High School.
The event, which was first held in September and moved to February last year, appears to have found its niche in the spring.
‘We think we’ve struck gold with May,? Heyniger said.
Having it on the same night as parent-teacher conferences didn’t hurt either, according to Heyniger, who said many parents checked out the expo afterwards.
Heyniger said she received many compliments on the food items, which ranged from a salad bar provided by Ruby Tuesday’s to cannolis from Palazzo di Bocce to tea from Ming’s.
Music provided by Full Effect DJ Service caught the attention of the crowd, as did the door prizes, which included an iPod offered by Nationwide Insurance.
‘The displayers had some really creative displays too,? Heyniger noted. ‘It was a positive thing all the way around.?
Heyniger said the biggest compliment she received all night came from the vendors, who travel all across the state and said the Orion Expo was among the best they have attended.
‘That is just a tremendous compliment,? she said.
Not even the bad weather could stop the crowds, which included numerous community groups, from turning out in bunches.
‘We had from four- and five-year-olds all the way up to groups of senior citizens,? Heyniger said.
Heyniger thanked the event sponsors, including T&C Federal Credit Union, Full Effect Productions, Lake Orion Family Dentistry and The Lake Orion Review for their support.
Many members from the Oxford Chamber of Commerce also joined the Orion event as vendors.
‘Our committee was phenomenal this year as well,? Heyniger added. ‘They did a great job of getting this off the ground.?
The committee included Todd Daniels (Daniels & Assoicates Insurance), Bob Deck (Eye Health Professionals), Sherry Ettinger (Sherman Publications, Lake Orion Review), Barb Kozlowski (Michigan Catholic Credit Union), Eric Lewis (Sherman Publication, Oxford Leader), Lisa Sokol (Orion Township Senior Center), Beth Steele (Steele Construction), Dan Swetich (Sign Center) and Madonna VanFossen (Hank’s Fly Fishing).