Racing into Spring

In Perquimans County, we are racing into Spring! April 27^th is the date of our Chamber of Commerce Expo and Job Fair where businesses from Perquimans and the surrounding counties come to the Perquimans County Recreation Center to show off their businesses and residents of Perquimans and the surrounding counties come to make new contacts, be entertained and join in the celebration of the economic life of the county. How can this be, you ask? Well, we must thank our generous sponsors Vidant Chowan Hospital, Pepsi Bottling Ventures, NC Works Career Center, PNC Bank, COA SBC, and the Perquimans Weekly.

What is going to happen at this Expo, you ask? Well. First of all, there will be booths dedicated to service businesses like Vidant Health and Albemarle Urgent Care handing out information, advertising new programs and advancements in technology, maybe even offering specific health care screenings. Then, there will be vendors like Small Town Trendz and White’s Dress Shop, offering their newest and most glamourous merchandise for sale. Beside them, large merchandise vendors like Alliance Nissan & Swimmme & Son will be demonstrating their wares, although I don’t think you could adequately test what Swimme & Son offer unless you brought a bathing suit. In addition, Perquimans FBLA and FFL, SELA Concepts, CAMP CALE & the Workforce Development Center will be there, handing out information about their programs, eager to sit down for further conversation with anyone interested.

What else is going on? A Job Fair. Employers from Perquimans and the surrounding counties will be there accepting resumes, offering application materials to fill out & taking the time to speak with applicants about openings and expectations. What better way to explore a job opportunity than at a festive, interactive event where the employers are putting their best foot forward?

And, did I mention that there will be door prizes, demonstrations, and car racing? No? Well: this may be the only Expo you will attend where you can race your car or a car you pick from available stock and get a race car as a prize if you win! Yes, that’s right! There will even be opening time trials so that you can pick the fastest of the cars you brought to enter in the race. If you don’t have a car you want to risk, a large number of cars will be available for you to choose. So, go right now to your child’s toy box and dig for the fastest, most elegantly shaped die-cast matchbox size car you can find! There will be a 30-40-foot wooden track set up with an automatic starting gate and a computer assisted timer to judge the closest races! And, if you are sensitive to excessive noise, bring earplugs because there will be shouting!

In addition to that, the Hertford Print Shop will be demonstrating their most astonishing technology and skills. The Hertford Print Shop is the business that wraps cars, trucks, trailers, boats, cabinets, whatever you want as well as printing on t-shirts, slate, jewelry, glassware, fabric banners and, of course, paper. If you can imagine it, I imagine that they can do it! Come to see the magic happen.

Want to work on your golf swing or your garden? You can do that, too! A golf professional from a nearby course will be offering demonstrations and the Master Gardeners will be present to answer any questions you might have about your lawn, landscaping and gardening at their “Ask a Master Gardener” table.

More? You want more? OK! Did you know that Perquimans County has recently been certified Work-Ready? And we will be having a ceremony to celebrate this County milestone just after the beginning of the Expo. Not only that, but do I have time to tell you about the fashion show and the culinary competition, the live music and performances by---