WORTHINGTON -- Armed with gift bags in one hand, and their purses in the other, women of all ages strolled from booth to booth at the Daily Globe Women's Expo Health and Home Show Saturday at the Minnesota West Community and Technical College.
Guests to the Expo began arriving as early as 8:30 a.m. when the doors opened. An hour after, the gymnasium and the annex began filling up with attendees.
Vendors promoted a variety of products and services at the 80 booths featured, eagerly greeted attendees with smiles, information and giveaways.
"It's like a state fair but only for women," said first time Expo attendee Tara Kilker. "It's great."
Kilker was enjoying a neck massage at Deb's Healing Massage and Day Spa booth.
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Deb Anderson, owner of the business, explained she has been a regular booth vendor, except for last year due to a shortage of staff. Accompanied by seven employees Saturday, Anderson treated guests to a variety of sample services including the new glitter tattoo, microdermabrasion and massage sessions.
"It's important for us to be at the Expo to introduce our products," Anderson said, adding by mid-day, the services offered were well received the crowd. "We'll definitely return next year."
Regular Expo attendee Debra Vogt made this year's event a family affair.
"I've been to the Expo for three years but this year I invited my sister, sister-in-law, and my niece," Vogt said as she sat with her company of three.
"It's great to talk to vendors one-on-one to get information I can go home and use," she said, adding that she enjoyed the free cholesterol screening provided by Sanford Worthington Regional Hospital.
While some scoured the booths, other women were participating in the variety of seminars lined up on Saturday.
One such seminar which proved to be a hit was that of Forum Communications, Co. food columnist Sue Doeden. Doeden's two-part seminar themed "Good Food Good Life 365" was to promote easy and healthy recipes.
"I truly believe that we are very educated about what we put into our bodies," she said about the purpose of her theme. "When we know the value of good food, we feel better and have a good life."
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The crowd learned about fresh vegetable spring rolls during the first session of the Asian-inspired seminar.
"With the milder weather, I've been craving for mild food, and spring rolls are a great way to celebrate spring," Doeden said.
One of Doeden's readers, Deb McLeod, admitted she was going to try her hand at making the fresh vegetable spring rolls at home.
"I like how she presents the recipes," McLeod said. "They're easy."
During the second session, Doeden demonstrated the art of stir-frying for the lettuce cups she was making.
"For stir-fries, it's very important to have everything in place," she told her audience. "The French term that is widely used is 'mise en place,' which means everything is in its place."
The audience did not learn only about lettuce cups, they were introduced to preparation methods, tricks for storing ingredients, and substitutes for ingredients they didn't have.
In between the hustle and bustle of the Expo, Early Riser Kiwanis members were serving guests and making food deliveries to vendors and others alike.
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"It's one of our fundraiser activities," said the club's president, Dale Carlton, about the food provided by BenLee's café. "We have breakfast rolls and coffee, soups and sandwiches, and bars."
The final event of the evening was the drawing of door prize winners. Danae Overby won collection of gift certificates valued at about $600 from First State Bank Southwest, First State Insurance Agency Southwest and Investment Centers of America.
Sharon Bakken was named the winner for a $500 gift card from HyVee Worthington. Karrie Scholtes won a five-piece furniture set courtesy of Slumberland.
Sandra Wescott won a diamond pendant necklace sponsored by Johnson Jewelry.
Daily Globe Reporter Ana Anthony can be reached at 376-7321.
