On a blustery spring morning with trees leafing out across the Provo River basin, cars packed the parking lot outside the Wasatch County Recreation Center as area residents came to learn about local resources, fill their pockets with giveaways and lunch on hot dogs.
Saturday marked the “Ask Heber Valley Community Expo," hosted by the valley’s chamber of commerce to connect residents with community organizations and businesses ranging across healthcare, banking, home goods and more.
Brandyn Muegge and her mother, Susan, were out running errands Saturday when they stumbled upon the expo.
“We love to support the community,” Susan Muegge said. “We're glad we’re here and we learned some things and found out about some things we didn't know before. So we’re excited about it.”
They said they’re fond of the Heber Valley. Brandyn Muegge moved here roughly twenty years ago and her mother followed a decade later.
“People are friendly here. It’s growing too fast but we love it!” Susan Muegge said.
Elisabeth Valle attended with kids in tow, a common sight at the expo where ages ranged across generations. Valle said the event echoes what she values about the area.
“There’s a lot going on. The people will help you a lot, and there are lots of resources for the Hispanic community. What would I change, a little bit? The houses. They are very expensive!” she said.
The roughly 80 organizations in attendance included local non-profits. The Wasatch Mountain State Park brought a live owl.
Trudy Harter, a board member at the Timpanogos Valley Theatre, had a busy day tabling for her organization.
“I thought I would have a chance to eat something before this started, but I’ve been busy talking the whole time,” she said. “I’ve heard from quite a few folks who said they’re new to the valley, so I’m glad they’re here because they need to find out about things, and this is a great way to find out about different businesses."
With the event, the chamber hopes to engage residents with local resources in and around their community.
KPCW is a sponsor of the Heber Valley Expo.