Team spirit shines at Chamber Community Expo
Published 8:27 pm Monday, November 27, 2023
Presenting the Coldwell Banker booth at the Chamber Community Expo are, from left, Christine Hill, Donna Pope and Iris Cauldwell. (Photo by Titus Mohler)
Franklin Baptist Church Senior Pastor Dr. Charles Qualls, right, and his wife Elizabeth Qualls, who serves as a church deacon, highlight their church and ministry at the Chamber Community Expo. (Photo by Titus Mohler)
Nottoway House was a full participant in the “Hometown Tailgate” theme, led by Collin Pulley and Ashley Taft. (Photo by Titus Mohler)
Promoting the Sgt. USMC Jayton D. Patterson VFW Post 4411 at the Chamber Community Expo are, from left, Phil Haley, Pam Klepac-Tulensru and John Darby. (Photo by Titus Mohler)
Representing Southampton Academy at the Chamber Community Expo and contributing greatly to the team spirit of the event are, from left, front row, SA Head of School Tamee Railey; back row, SA Director of Admissions Megan Everett and SA cheerleaders Danee Railey, Logan Everett, Addison Hutto and Ari Blythe. (Photo by Titus Mohler)
We Are All One Home Healthcare had a presence at the Chamber Community Expo thanks to Alicia Middleton, left, and Shadonna Warren. (Photo by Titus Mohler)
Franklin-Southampton Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Teresa Beale and Chamber President Marshall Rabil pause for a photo amid the chamber’s 28th annual Community Expo on Thursday, Nov. 16, in Franklin. (Photo by Titus Mohler)
Feridies Peanuts & Provisions representatives Lydia Pittman and Jeneen Dimick gather for a photo inside their booth at the Chamber Community Expo. (Photo by Titus Mohler)
Megan Drewry, left, and Elizabeth Nurney helped highlight Manry Rawls with an interactive booth at the Chamber Community Expo. (Photo by Titus Mohler)
Kiptyn Cooke operates an excavator simulator at the Chamber Community Expo in a booth showcasing Camp Community College’s Heavy Equipment Operator program. The booth is manned by Camp HEO instructor Darren Mitchell, seen standing behind Cooke. (Photo by Titus Mohler)
Helping represent Bon Secours in an expansive booth at the Chamber Community Expo are, from left, John Hylton, Melissa Bigos and Emily Long. (Photo by Titus Mohler)
Edwards Hardware on Main Street in Courtland had a presence at the Chamber Community Expo on Thursday, Nov. 16, with a booth operated by Madison Berryman, far right. Pictured at the booth are, from left, Tim Davenport, Riley Worsham, Beth Davenport, Braxton Berryman and Madison Berryman. (Photo by Titus Mohler)
Rawls Museum Arts Executive Director Crystal Joyner, left, highlighted at the expo what the museum has to offer, and she was joined in that effort by museum assistants Jaresha Brown, center, and Alisa Hardy. (Photo by Titus Mohler)
From left, Lynda T. Updike, Patricia Rawls and Juanita Richards are on hand at the expo to share insights on area history. (Photo by Titus Mohler)
Tidewater Disposal LLC just joined the chamber a few months ago, and it was present at the Community Expo in the form of a booth ran by Hunter Beauvais, right, and Haleigh Thorpe. (Photo by Titus Mohler)
Franklin Southampton Economic Development Inc. President and CEO Karl Heck and FSEDI Marketing and Existing Business Manager R. Lauren Rodil work to “grill up success” at the expo. (Photo by Titus Mohler)
This sizable stand-up banner lining the stage in the Regional Workforce Development Center during the Chamber Community Expo conveys the message that Bon Secours loves its team. (Photo by Titus Mohler)
Hubbard Peanut Company President and CEO Lynne Rabil and Director of Sales and Marketing Marshall Rabil showcase what Hubs has to offer at its booth at the Chamber Community Expo. (Photo by Titus Mohler)
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The Franklin-Southampton Area Chamber of Commerce’s 28th annual Community Expo drew inspiration from the sports world for its theme of unity this year, and this, in turn, resulted in an event with a fun atmosphere that left participating businesses inspired by the collective impact they can have locally.
The event, held Thursday, Nov. 16, at Camp Community College’s Regional Workforce Development Center, featured the theme of One Team-One Dream-Executing Excellence “Hometown Tailgate.”
“Businesses really embraced the ‘Hometown Tailgate’ theme,” Chamber President Marshall Rabil said.
Chamber Executive Director Teresa Beale said the expo featured 43 vendors, many of which had creative, interactive booths that gave attendees a sense of the tailgating environment outside a sports stadium.
“Having Chris Rice from Music Makes You Happy emceeing the event was a lot of fun,” Rabil said. “We really enjoyed having Coach Danny Dillon from Rock Church and Coach (Robby) Cutchins from Franklin High provide us with some inspiring stories and anecdotes during the business hour.”
Rabil then alluded to some of the representatives of Southampton Academy at the expo who helped run the school’s booth and who fostered a team spirit at the event with their cheers.
“The SA cheerleaders were a great touch,” he said.
He then underscored what the Community Expo sought to highlight about the area.
“We have incredible businesses and services in Franklin/Southampton,” he said, “and we all left inspired that our community is much stronger when we are working together.”
Beale said it was hard to guess how many people attended the event, but she would say between 300 and 350 people came through.
“There was such a fun, happy vibe this year,” she said. “Everyone was having such a good time visiting with one another and discovering what the businesses had to offer. We love facilitating the new connections made between businesses and the community.”
