The theme will be “More of the World in Moore County.”

The Business Expo committee, co-chaired by Luellen Sorget of Dixon Odom and Gail McNeill Clark of McLendon Hills, has been meeting for the last few months to review comments from last year’s participants and to evaluate how the Expo can be improved to enable all vendors to get more traffic and more business.

“We feel that we’ve outgrown our former location, which has served us well in the past,” Sorget said. “Changing the venue will hopefully ease accessibility, increase public traffic to the show and increase participation from all areas of our membership.”

The committee, along with the input from past exhibitors, has announced a new format that will feature:

n A one-day event Thursday, Sept. 26, at Pine Needles, starting with grand opening at 10 a.m. and culminating with the Business After Hours from 5:30 –7 p.m. (Set-up will take place from 1 to 7 p.m. Sept. 25.

n The opportunity for local Chamber member restaurants to participate and showcase their foods in a special section of the exhibit hall.

n Giveaways to include airline tickets, mini-vacations and other prizes.

The theme, “More of the World in Moore County,” is intended to reflect the diverse products and services offered locally.

Registration information will be sent first to exhibitors who participated last year during the third week of July.

The following week, information will be sent to all other Chamber member businesses that wish to participate.

For more information or to become a corporate sponsor for this event, contact Linda Pearson at the Chamber, 692-3926.

Safety Program Held

Nearly 7 million people suffer from injuries in the home every year — one injury every five seconds.

To help area residents protect their families from potential safety hazards, the Southern Pines Lowe’s Heroes hosted a safety day for the community Saturday, July 13, with on-site demonstrations designed to teach kids and parents how to avoid common household dangers.

The workshop, held at the Southern Pines Lowe’s Home Improvement Warehouse, consisted of safety product demonstrations and home safety educational tips. Representatives from the Southern Pines Fire and Police departments, American Red Cross, North Carolina State Highway Patrol and other community organizations were in attendance. Topics included home security, fire safety and disaster preparedness.

“Every four seconds there is an injury in the home and each year there are more than 29,000 people killed by these injuries,” said Charles Taylor, captain of the Southern Pines Lowe’s Heroes team. “Prevention starts with education. We hope that the homeowners who attended the event learned something new about home safety and, as a result, will work to make their home a safer place for themselves and their families.”

Lowe’s Home Safety Council created the Lowe’s Heroes program in 1996 with a vision of safer American homes. With 2001 sales of $22.1 billion, Lowe’s Companies Inc. is the world’s second largest home improvement retailer. Headquartered in Wilkesboro, N.C., Lowe’s is a Fortune 100 company and the 13th largest retailer in the United States.

Cockman Joins Firm

Tammy Cockman of Robbins recently became a consultant for Tastefully Simple, a national direct sales company based in Alexandria, Minn.

As a consultant, Cockman conducts in-home presentations of upscale convenience driven gourmet foods. During these interactive taste-testing parties, guests receive easy meal ideas, recipes and entertainment suggestions. Products are received at the party; gift boxes may be ordered for personal and corporate gifts.

Cockman joins more than 7,000 consultants in 50 states who have discovered Tastefully Simple’s high quality products and income potential. Founded in 1995, Tastefully Simple offers small indulgences for busy lives.

For more information on Tastefully Simple and business opportunities, contact Tammy Cockman at 948-2994.

Attends Conference

Local decorator, Karen Teeple, has just returned from Interiors by Decorating Den’s 33rd annual conference at the Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando, Fla., where several major announcements were made this year.

Formerly known as Decorating Den Interiors, the company unveiled a new name and logo to the crowd of hundreds at this year’s conference. The company is moving the focus of its name to Interiors and will now be known as Interiors by Decorating Den.

The goal is to better convey to the consumer that Interiors by Decorating Den takes care of the entire interior decorating process, including planning product selection and installation, in the convenience of a customer’s home or office.

The company also announced its new fund-raising partnership with the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. A conference pledge goal of $100,000 was exceeded by 50 percent. Interiors by Decorating Den shares the missions of both organizations in their commitment to the advancement of breast cancer research, education, screening, and treatment.

Teeple attended decorating seminars and workshops to stay current with the latest trends in the interior design industry. She also toured a 15,000-square-foot market, where more than 50 industry suppliers unveiled, for the first time, their newest home fashion products.

Many decorators were honored for their achievements in design and business management during the conference. Among them were the winners of the 18th annual Dream Room Contest, who were chosen by editors of the nation’s leading decorating and home improvement publications, including Better Homes & Gardens, Traditional Home, Good Housekeeping, House Beautiful and many more.

Acclaimed designer Benjamin Noreiga-Ortiz, was a guest speaker for the Dream Room Awards ceremony. The nationally renowned interior designer has worked with such notable clients as Mr. and Mrs. Norman Lear, NutraSweet, Lenny Kravitz, Chase Bank and Cartier. His work has been published in many magazines including Elle Decor, Town and Country, Interior Design and House Beautiful, and on the cover of Metropolitan Home.

Kid’s Day Planned

Goody’s hosts its second annual Kid’s Day on Saturday, Aug. 3.

It will be a fun-filled day with clowns, prizes, ballons and refreshments to help usher in the back-to-school season. The event will take place from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.