Housing Fair brings vendors, customers together

by Jun 6, 2014Front Page, NEWS ka-no-he-da0 comments

By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.

ONE FEATHER STAFF

 

The EBCI Housing and Community Development Division hosted its annual Housing Fair at the Cherokee Indian Fairgrounds exhibit hall on Friday, June 6.  With the theme “Building Tomorrow’s Communities Today”, the Fair featured many tribal programs and area businesses offering information to the public.

Todd Duvall (right), with OnTrack Financial Education & Counseling, talks with EBCI tribal member Tim Catolster during the annual Housing Fair at the Cherokee Indian Fairgrounds on Friday, June 6.  (SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather)

Todd Duvall (right), with OnTrack Financial Education & Counseling, talks with EBCI tribal member Tim Catolster during the annual Housing Fair at the Cherokee Indian Fairgrounds on Friday, June 6. (SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather)

“It puts our name out there more,” said Matt Taylor, with MBH Surveyors PC who does surveying work for the Bureau of Indian Affairs.  “We don’t really advertise over here other than what’s on our company truck or on the side of our shirt.  So, it just gets people more familiar with us.”

He said the interaction with the customers at the Fair will help their business, “And, in turn, it will allow us to create more jobs for our company.”

In addition to MBH, the following programs/businesses were in attendance at Friday’s Fair: Sam’s Club, First Citizens Bank of Cherokee, Soco Creek Village Apartments, Justin Wright Builders, Sound of Music, Cherokee Frybread, Cherokee Fire Dept., Cherokee Police Dept., Abode Custom Builders, Amerind Insurance, EBCI Housing, Smoky Mountain Hot Tub, Pioneer Supply, and TLC Building Solutions.

Rachel Sneed, Soco Creek Village Apartments manager, related, “Being here at the Fair has really helped us to reach people who don’t know where we are located and what we’re about.  Knowing that housing is needed here on the reservation, we also serve non-Natives.  We have multi-families (units) and singles in our 60-unit complex.  Being here just helps us meet different people and knowing what their needs are.”

“It’s been a really good crowd,” she added.

Todd Duvall, with OnTrack Financial Education & Counseling, commented on his company’s experience at the Fair, “It’s been really good.  We’ve made a lot of nice contacts with the people looking around.  We have a lot of services for people who want to buy a home, trying to keep their home or having problems with debt.”

“There are just all kinds of people that have come through here, and it seems like we’re well-received here.  It’s been a great experience so far.”

EBCI tribal member Tim Catolster said he was enjoying the Fair.  “It has been nice to see all of the people and get the information.”