Story courtesy of Justin Dartt
At the weekly Kiwanis meeting on Thursday, the club was addressed by Business Development Specialist Arla Murphy from SIC. She informed the club of the offerings that the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at SIC has. The SBDC is a wonderful place for small business entrepreneurs to meet with specialists to develop business plans and make ideas become a reality. At the SBDC, they assist entrepreneurs in connecting with bankers, insurance agents, accountants, and local governments. The center covers the Southeastern Illinois College area plus the surrounding areas of Fairfield, Centralia, and Pope County. Arla noted that recently there has been a surge in small businesses in Southeastern Illinois. Many of the entrepreneurs the SBDC serves include restaurants, retail stores, coffee shops, and even farmers. Dr. Clint Taylor attested to the services provided by the SBDC as he had used them when he purchased his practice after optometry school. All the counseling services provided by the SBDC are provided at no cost. They do offer reasonably priced classes and workshops for QuickBooks, Microsoft Excel, and Social Media training. A few of the upcoming training classes that SIC is offering include: Massage Therapy and Dog Grooming. Arla Murphy can be contacted by telephone at (618) 252-5400 ext 2312 or by e-mail at [email protected].
In other club business, Don Dixon won the 50/50. President Holly Healy reminded club members that former University of Kentucky and NBA star Walter McCarty is the club’s guest at the next meeting on Thursday, Aug. 9. The Kiwanis Club meets every Thursday at noon in the basement of the Farm Bureau building and invite guests to attend.
