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ALPENA — The Alpena News will host its annual Business Expo alongside the Kiwanis Club of Alpena’s annual Book Sale on Saturday at the APlex.

The expo runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and gives local businesses an opportunity to share their products and services with attendees.

The expo runs concurrently with the Kiwanis Club of Alpena Used Book Sale, which will also be held at the APlex.

Christie Werda, general manager for The News, said dozens of local businesses will have booths set up to share information about the services their businesses offer. Featured businesses range from health care to education.

“The expo is a great opportunity for Northeast Michigan businesses because it gives them a chance to connect with new, potential customers,” Werda said. “The event brings in well over 1,000 people so it is an important event to support the local economy.”

Angie Hall, The News graphic artist, also said that the expo is an event that helps businesses network with potential customers.

“The Alpena New Business Expo is a great event to help our local businesses reach out to more people in the community, while providing a festive environment,” she said. “Each year, we come up with a theme to make it different.”

Hall said this year’s theme is celebrating America’s 250th birthday with red, white and blue decorations. She added that there will be a photo area with props to “give attendees something entertaining to do for all ages.”

Hungry Howies will serve food during the event.

Kiwanis Club of Alpena’s annual Used Book Sale

The Kiwanis book sale will happen at the Aplex during The News’ expo.

The News helps with advertising for the book sale and provides a location for book collection and sorting. Members have been working these past few months sorting and boxing used books that community members have donated.

According to Rocky Roland, a Kiwanis Club member, proceeds from the book sale go towards supporting club projects throughout the community. Some of these projects include maintaining the Kiwanis Kiddie Park, supporting local scholarships for graduating seniors and college students, sponsorships of little league teams in the area, and a scholarship fund for the Michigan State Police Law Enforcement Career Academy.

Additional Kiwanis projects include the annual Dictionary Project, which is a program that provides each third grader with a dictionary in the Alpena Public Schools, Hillman Community Schools, and Posen Consolidated School District No. 9 systems.

Kiwanis also leverages profits from the book sale to partner with Northeast Michigan Community Service Agency (NEMSCA) and give away nearly 500 books each year from Scholastic to support young children’s literacy. The club also donates 100 hand-made quilts each year to the C.S. Mott Neo-Natal Care Unit.

According to Roland, the Kiwanis mantra is “it’s all about the kids.”

“The Kiwanis Club of Alpena tries diligently to live up to that standard,” Roland said in an email. “Making the world a better place, one child and one community at a time.”

The Alpena new business expo is a great event to help our local businesses reach out to more people in the community while providing a festive environment. Each year we come up with a theme to make it different. This year we will be celebrating America’s 250th birthday with red, white and blue decorations as well as a photo area with props to give the attendees something entertaining for all ages.

Kayla Wikaryasz can be reached at 989-358-5688 or kwikaryasz@TheAlpenaNews.com.