RUMFORD – Rosie Bradley stood at the entrance to the largest exhibition area at Mountain Valley High School Saturday morning.

Dressed in an identifying T-shirt that showed her to be a member of the River Valley Expo Committee, she held a two-way radio to her ear as exhibitors and visitors chatted in the gym.

Are the shuttles going OK? How’s the supply of maps to the event and goodie bags? Does anyone need any help right now? A custodian may be needed.

She was helping to coordinate the region’s largest business and community exposition.

Things were going smoothly. Bradley, co-chair of the expo committee, along with other co-chairs, Yvonne Allen and Brenda Flagg, have been working for nearly two years to make the event a reality.

A small army of other committee members, all dressed in red T-shirts, helped by parking cars, running errands and passing out goodie bags and maps.

Several thousand people visited the more than 150 booths throughout the day.

Bradley was thrilled with the turnout and the professionalism of the booths. It was worth all the sweat and frustration she and the others have put in, she said.

“We’re happy. We built them, and they came.”

Nothing is perfect however.

While the the booths in the gym of Mountain Valley High School were very well attended, some of the exhibits in the classrooms and outside were not. Some people just didn’t realize how extensive the event was.

Perhaps more booths will be placed in the cafeteria, adjacent to the gym next year. Perhaps more and better directions will be given to the exterior exhibits and those off the beaten path.

Perhaps some of these outside exhibits will be moved closer to the main exhibition hall so people can see them more easily. Perhaps a small shuttle will be put in place to take people from the gym up the ramp to the lobby and library.

“We’ll look more at the layout including how to get people there,” Bradley said.

But for the first time, the event was a success even beyond what planners had hoped. The expo committee broke even, and perhaps even raised some funds to begin planning next year’s event.

The final cost figures and attendance figures won’t be known until late in the week.

The committee will meet on Thursday or Friday to go over the entire two-day event, reviewing what went well, looking for ways to improve.

But on Saturday, virtually everyone exhibiting as well as those who attended were pleased and amazed at what the exhibition and the River Valley had to offer. Many were surprised to find businesses and organizations they never knew existed.

“This is superb, excellent. It’s something that Rumford needs,” said Ben Byam.

eadams@sunjournal.com

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