A Nurtured Community

I am just putting the final touches on my to-do list for the first annual Nurtured Baby Show & Expo. The list is 6 pages long. I still feel like I am forgetting something. Sigh.
On the other hand, I am so excited to see this coming together after a few years of dreaming it up. If you had told me even a year ago that we would have such an incredible group of (mostly) local businesses and entrepreneurial (?) mamas involved in this event, I would never have believed it possible. If you live in the Dufferin area, Orangeville to be specific, you may have started to notice a big increase in the number of "craft-ty" or small business shows around town. We are a diverse town that is seeing a boom in the small/ home business industry but like any fabulous resource, it can be tapped until exhausted. As a small business myself, I understand the temptation to run from one show to the next in an attempt to promote and bring in business. However, over the years I have learned that its all about quality, not quantity.
Our area is lucky to host some high quality vendor shows, like those put on by the Small Business Place, Bella Noche, and hopefully I can add Nurtured to the list. I have been overwhelmed by the response from vendors from all over the Dufferin area and as far away as London Ont, who offer products and services geared specifically towards expectant and new parents. They are all intent on working together to make this an exciting and successful event, and its beautiful to see businesses come together for a common goal. The $2 entry fee for the Nurtured Baby Show will be donated to the Toronto Sick Kids Hospital, a place that has touched many of our lives, and those in our community.
Each of the high quality businesses involved have such big hearts for our local and area charities, as many of them have been involved in other fundraising shows and events. They give out of their own pockets and their businesses when they donate draw prizes and gift bag items for shows and events. The Nurtured Boutique started as a space for these small businesses to display and sell their handmade products, and I am proud to say we are the only such boutique in any of the surrounding areas, but without these talented women it wouldnt exist.
Its amazing to me that a year ago I didnt know any of these women, mamas, and entrepreneurs. My life and the community is so much richer for having them be a part of it, and I am looking forward to watching them all grow and succeed. This years show has 50 vendors and sevices taking part, with a waiting list of more. Even if you arent in the category of expectant, new, or experienced parents, you need to come out and see what our community has to offer in these remarkable businesses you might not have known about otherwise. And of course support a great cause.
Now, back to my to-do list. I think I need to start page 7.