Oswego Hometown Expo showcases work of area businesses, organizations

Blair Peters knows how a service dog can improve the lives of those who have developmental, physical and emotional needs.

Those attending the Oswego Hometown Expo on Feb. 24 at Oswego High School had the chance to meet Peters, a board member with the VIP Service Dog Foundation, and 6-month-old Ripley, in training to become a service dog.

The Oswego Hometown Expo was organized by the Oswego Area Chamber of Commerce.

“The focus in the beginning is on basic obedience and housebreaking,” said Peters, who helps train the dogs. “We start with dogs that are about 2 months of age.”

The VIP Service Dog Foundation is a nonprofit charity organization run by volunteers. The service dogs it supplies help people with a variety of needs. Those include people on the autism spectrum, as well as veterans.

“Our president and founder started the program because she has a disabled son and needed a service dog,” Peters said. “It really is very rewarding to see what the dogs do for their person.”

The Oswego Hometown Expo provides a way for businesses and organizations in the Oswego area to showcase what they do. The village of Oswego and the Oswego Police Department were among those with booths at the expo.

“I love seeing people get together and I love seeing all the businesses and all the opportunities,” Oswego Village President Ryan Kauffman said. “It is a great opportunity for businesses to showcase what it is that they do and to connect consumers with businesses, and businesses perhaps with each other. It’s just a great way to get your message out.”

An art show featuring the work of area students and adults also was part of the event. This is the 13th year the Oswego-based Fox River Academy of Music & Art and the Chamber have put on the show.

“It’s a true community art show,” said Karen Kulzer, co-director of Fox River Academy, a community music and art school. “It’s open to anyone in the community.”

Kulzer also is on the executive board of the Oswego Area Chamber of Commerce. This year’s show featured 323 works of art, their biggest to date.

“Right before COVID, we had 308,” Kulzer said. “So this is exceeding that, finally, which is very exciting.”

She is impressed by the quality of the artwork submitted every year.

“I’m always blown away, particularly by the high school art,” Kulzer said. “But also some of what the children are doing is really amazing. I think overall this is a really great show this year.”