Catoosa Business Expo huge success
On Oct. 18, nearly 900 people poured into The Colonnade for the annual Showcase Catoosa Business Expo conducted by the Catoosa County Chamber of Commerce. What they found inside was 89 businesses set up showcasing their wares and services, seven restaurants serving up samples, opportunities to get their blood pressure taken and their backs massaged, and the chance to sign up for door prizes and bid for items in a silent auction.
There was an indoor play area for children, courtesy of the Catoosa County Parks and Recreation Department. The Mary Ellen Locher mammography bus was on-site and more than a half-dozen women took advantage of it to get mammograms. People could try out a motorized bike in the parking lot thanks to Battlefield Outdoors, and Mountain View Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram had several vehicles on display.
“We sold out all our avail- able spaces,” says Catoosa Chamber membership coordinator Amy Jackson. “Next year, we’ll have to expand our space.”
J103 did a live remote from the event. DJ Mike Key acted as master of ceremonies. And there were four mascots on hand to work the crowd and keep everyone entertained: the Chick-fil-a cow, the State Farm bear, the Dunkin’ Donuts donut and the Georgia Department of Transportation’s Coneman.
The big prize of the day was two round-trip tickets to any non-stop destination from Chattanooga, courtesy of the Chattanooga Airport Authority, won by Lynn Huett, who works for Lookout Mountain Community Services.
Three businesses won prizes for their booths or products: the Colonnade, MEDSTAT and La Familia Mexican Restaurant.
The corporate sponsors of the event were Chamber-members Capital Bank, the City of Fort Oglethorpe, NHC Fort Oglethorpe and MEDSTAT.
To see more pictures of the Expo and follow the Catoosa County Chamber of Commerce, visit their Facebook page at facebook.com/ catoosachamber.