About 1,000 people turned out for the Arnold Senior Expo on Aug. 23.
The event, sponsored by Grand Times, Leader Publications’ magazine for seniors, was held in a new location this year: the Arnold Eagles on Jeffco Blvd.
The free event ran from 8 a.m. to noon, with 56 vendors on hand to display products and services of interest to seniors.
About 1,000 people turned out for the Arnold Senior Expo on Aug. 23.
“It was overwhelming – in the best of ways,” Leader publisher Peggy Scott said. “People kept coming pretty steadily throughout the day.”
The event, sponsored by Grand Times, Leader Publications’ magazine for seniors, was held in a new location this year: the Arnold Eagles on Jeffco Blvd.
“The new venue was wonderful,” Scott said. “We had more space for vendors, more room for seniors. We had so many positive comments from vendors and visitors. It was great energy.”
The free event ran from 8 a.m. to noon, with 56 vendors on hand to display products and services of interest to seniors.
There was free coffee and doughnuts, courtesy of Leader Publications and Visiting Angels.
St. Louis Golf Cart Shuttle offered free limousine golf cart rides between the parking lot and the expo entrance.
Mark Bewig of the Hillsboro area won the drawing for the grand prize, a Sept. 3 brunch cruise on the replica 19th century riverboat Becky Thatcher.
“It was exciting,” Bewig, 67, of Hillsboro said of his win. “I would have been happy just winning bingo.”
He said he had been to three or four expos in the past.
“I like it, seeing the booths, talking to the different vendors,” he said. “I go by myself or sometimes with a friend.”
In addition to the four tickets for the brunch cruise, Bewig’s prize package includes car service to and from the riverboat provided by E-Bus, a Eureka-based party bus company.
Bewig said he and his wife, Laurie, will take the cruise with another couple.
“I think it’ll be fun,” he said.
A second drawing was held for a prize package provided by the St. Louis Art Museum, and the winner was Cam Compton of Byrnes Mill, who received a custom museum bag, a one-year museum membership, books, greeting cards and other materials.
Many of the expo vendors offered giveaways and attendance prizes.
The expo also featured two free sessions of bingo, with gift certificates, restaurant coupons and T-shirts awarded as prizes.
COVID-19 vaccines and booster shots as well as seasonal flu shots were available to visitors.
Live music by J.B. Louis and the Legends, the official Leader Senior Expo band, rounded out the morning.
The next Leader Senior Expo is slated for Oct. 18 in Eureka.