Eight counties | 36 cities | one region

Participants must register by July 8

ST. JAMES—Naturally Meramec Consortium (NMC), a group of local agriculture, tourism and culinary businesses working to grow by finding ways to collectively market and use each other’s products and services, will be hosting a FREE “speed-date” night July 19 where buyers and sellers can meet, talk and connect locally produced products and services. Participants must register by July 8.

Producers and/or potential buyers of agriculture, tourism and/or culinary goods and services are invited to attend this “speed-date” event from 6 to 9 p.m. at Heartland Farms, 8289 North Service Road West, near Bourbon.

Connie Willman, NMC administrator with Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC), is organizing the evening.

“At this event, buyers and sellers will gather en masse to discuss potential partnerships,” Willman said. “There is a $20 fee to participate in the event, which we have decided to waive.”

Local producers will have an opportunity to discuss their products and business with several potential buyers during a one-on-one “speed-date style” presentation. Following the speed-date event, buyers and producers will have the opportunity to network in the evening.

Buyers will also have the opportunity to increase the number of local products and services to pass on to their customers.

“The Meramec Region is rich in businesses that offer quality products and services,” Willman said. “This event will allow buyers to see the face behind the product or service, and not simply read marketing material.”

This event is intended for commercial buyers, not individual consumers. To register for the event, email Willman at cwillman@meramecregion.org or contact Linda Carroll at 573-265-2993 for a “buyer” or “seller” form. Forms can be mailed, emailed or dropped off at 4 Industrial Drive, St. James MO 65559, or emailed to Willman.

Those businesses that participate in both buying and selling should submit both forms, but will need to have more than one person at the event to represent both functions.

For questions or more information, contact Willman by email or call 573-265-2993 or visit the Facebook page at Facebook.com/NaturallyMeramec.

Formed in 1969, MRPC is a voluntary council of governments serving Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties and their respective cities. A professional staff of 21, directed by the MRPC board, offers technical assistance and services, such as grant preparation and administration, housing assistance, transportation planning, environmental planning, ordinance codification, business loans and other services to member communities.

To keep up with the latest MRPC news and events, visit the MRPC website at www.meramecregion.org or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/meramecregion.