Sponsored by First National Bank and United Bank, in conjunction with Truett’s Grill, Chick-Fil-A and Southern Family Markets, about 20 local businesses set up small stands and used the opportunity to distribute information and merchandise about themselves to the teachers present.
“We’ve been having new teacher recognition for many, many years,” said Bonnie Pfrogner, executive director of the Griffin-Spalding County Chamber of Commerce. “Having an actual expo was a perfect opportunity for local teachers and businesses to be one-on-one with each other,” Pfrogner said.
She added that through the expo, teachers get “to see that the business community is solidly behind them.”
The networking opportunity has been fairly well-attended.
“It has grown a little bit every year,” Pfrogner said. ”Griffin and Spalding have a real great community when it comes to supporting education. The Chamber has a major focus on education.”
Pfrogner’s assistant, Cindy Jones, spent about a month organizing the event. Jones said all the local business that attended were members of the chamber.
Among the exhibitors were some that one would not immediately connect to schools, such as Elite Martial Arts Academy, which will have its Griffin grand opening in September. Elite’s head instructor, Kevin Brown, said that he and his team will come to schools and introduce teachers and children to concentration, focusing and listening skills.
Brown said that a lot of teachers have shown interest in his businesses’ offerings. Considering that many teachers have children, Elite is looking at a great number of new clients, while teachers and parents are looking at a new way of exercising and strengthening their physical and mental skills.
From that point of view, the business expo has done its job.
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