by Frank Lee
operations@thenewsleaders.com
Representatives from St. Joseph-area businesses and organizations introduced themselves and fielded questions from those attending a recent event at Kennedy Community School.
The Community Showcase was intended to showcase small businesses based in St. Joseph, with proceeds from the sponsorships benefiting the St. Joseph Area Chamber of Commerce.
“I believe there is a lot of energy building in the St. Joseph community,” said Kim Poganski, volunteer chamber president. “And there are more businesses that are interested – and have started to occupy space – in the St. Joseph community.”
There are about 100 chamber members. There were 35 vendors inside the St. Joseph school’s gym, sharing information and handing out prizes and promotional items at the three-hour event April 2.
“I think with the college in town, there are a lot of vendors and companies that also are looking for students to purchase their items,” Poganski said. “And there is a lot of business manufacturing in the industrial park in the St. Joseph community.”
According to Poganski, there were 10 additional vendors at this year’s showcase – the fourth time the free event has been held – and an estimated 300 people attended the event this year.
“It’s an opportunity to bring local businesses or organizations together in one area, so community members can come and visit, and learn more about the businesses or organizations in their area in a short amount of time and have some treats along the way,” Poganski said.
Kirsten Freeman is the director of business development at Finken, which is based in St. Joseph and located at 628 19th Ave. NE. She said Finken plans to open a new store in Brooklyn Park.
“St. Joe is our headquarters, so this is our home base,” Freeman said. “And our goal is to get people in their homes and in their businesses as healthy as possible by providing them with a pure water product and good heating, cooling equipment.”
Freeman handed out candy and yellow construction hardhats bearing the Finken name at the event, which also included inflatables to entertain children.
“There’s been a lot of concerns with healthy water lately with all of the scares in Flint, Mich., and its lead problems,” Freeman said. “And the State of Minnesota has been doing a lot of nitrate testing in this area, and the water-treatment solutions that we can provide can correct those.”
Rhonda Alvord is a wife and mother of two from St. Joseph who attended the Community Showcase because she thought it would be something fun to do with her children.
“And I was interested in a few different things,” Alvord said, “and I was able to talk to those vendors today about mosquitoes, insurance and pizza.”
A few examples of the varied St. Joseph businesses and organizations at the school included Sisters of the Order of St. Benedict, Borgert Products and Russell EyeCare & Associates.
“Some of them I hadn’t heard of before, so this was the first time I heard of them, but I know we have a lot of good businesses in St. Joe,” Alvord said.
She also said, “I think they have a lot of businesses in St. Joe to meet my needs, but they could always get better and have more options. But I think we are going in the right direction.”
Rhonda Alvord, a wife and mother of two from St. Joseph, talks to a representative of Russell EyeCare & Associates at the Community Showcase April 2 at Kennedy Community School in St. Joseph. The event featured St. Joseph-area businesses and organizations.
Kim Poganski, volunteer president of the St. Joseph Area Chamber of Commerce, greets visitors along with representatives from Coborn’s and Sentry Bank at the fourth Community Showcase April 2 at Kennedy Community School.
Kirsten Freeman, director of business development at the St. Joseph-based Finken Cos., hands out candy at the Community Showcase April 2 at Kennedy Community School.
