By EILEEN FELDMAN
Leader executive editor
It’s gotten to be so familiar it’s like an old sweater that you love but Jacksonville’s annual Business Expo still generates a certain amount of excitement around town as the day approaches.
This year’s theme is recycling and being green, “It Just Comes Natural.”
The event is detailed in a tabloid insert that you will find in this issue. There are details about many of this year’s sponsors. Many of them will be handing out promotional items and there are also a number of great prizes which one can register to win.
It’s also a good opportunity to showcase a new or existing business and to let the community know what your business has to offer that’s unique.
Those who visit Thursday’s expo which runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Community Center will have a great chance to network with other businesses or just to become acquainted with local businesses and the services they offer.
There is an entry fee of $1, but it’s good all day and parking is free.
Several local restaurants including Western Sizzlin’, Golden Corral, Bar-B-Que Shack, Tropical Smoothie, White Pig Inn and Los Rios Mexican restaurant will be offering samples thoughout the day so no one need go hungry while visiting the Expo.
There will be more than 90 booths to visit with information, promotional items and demonstrations to educate, entertain and enlighten.
A new feature this year will be the Red Cross blood mobile sponsored by North Metro Medical Center.
Gold sponsor North Metro Medical Center will have its booth staffed by the hospital’s registered nurses who will perform some on-the-spot blood pressure readings. The nurses also provide a wealth of health-related information from first aid to stroke prevention and identification.
Most who attend come away with free goody bags filled with lots of promotional items such as pens, notepads, coffee mugs, tape measures, key rings, pamphlets and a wide variety of helpful information spanning the wide range of exhibits from financial information to healthy living.
Other gold sponsors this year include First Arkansas Bank and First Arkansas Mortgage Company, Arkansas Federal Credit Union, Comcast, CenturyTel, Cool 104, Poster Boy Printing, the city of Jacksonville.
The Leader is also one of this year’s gold sponsors and is providing the free Expo tabloid with a map of exhibitors and information on the sponsors.
This year’s silver sponsors are Woodland Hills of Jacksonville, Whit Davis Lumber, Ashland Performance Materials, First Electric Cooperative.
Bronze sponsors include Access Rehab, C and J Gifts, Metropolitan National Bank and CenterPoint Energy.
Other businesses with booths at this year’s expo include Baptist Health Medical Center-NLR, Jacksonville Museum of Military History, U.S. Small Business Administration, Webster University, Families, Inc., Counseling Services, the Arkansas Insurance Department, State Farm Insurance (agent Lauren Fowler);
Also, Foxwood Golf Club, Fraley Roofing, Jacksonville Senior Center, Access Telephone Directories, Provident Business Solution, Lighthouse Academy, ADT Security Services, Greenbriar Retirement Center of Jacksonville, Arkansas State University, P.I. Roofing, Advantage Service Company; and Pulaski Technical College, Arkansas Secretary of State, Century 21 Prestige Realty, Hyla Systems, Curves, Arkansas Midland Railroad, Get-A-Grip, B-Safe Security, Inc., Friday, Eldridge and Clark, and Evans Lawn and Landscaping.
