The Advancing Grundy Plan’s Small Business & Entrepreneurship Support Committee has launched two action items based on the plan’s outlined strategies.

This committee is just one of numerous that have come out of the completed Advancing Grundy Plan launched earlier this year with the objective of diversifying Grundy’s local economy.

The plan is part of the resiliency project by the Grundy Economic Development Council and the Grundy County Chamber of Commerce & Industry. The organizations were given a $600,000 grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration at the end of 2022. These grants help nuclear host communities plan for and build more diverse, resilient economies.

The small business committee is led by the Chamber and consists of members representing the Entrepreneur & Business Center of Joliet Junior College, as well as numerous small businesses and organizations: Sarah Beach of Sunshine Garden Center, Megan Housman of Oleanders, Brenda Keener of Rooted, Cindie Hunt of Advanced Realty, Christina Hester, a local volunteer, Julie Wilkinson of the City of Morris, and John Fonck of First Federal Savings Bank.

The consultant who helped us to form our 10 main strategies spent months researching, interviewing, and surveying to construct our plan. From this, one of the ideas for the small business committee was to support shopping local countywide, not just by town. The committee brainstormed what countywide events we could latch on to in order to make such a big shopping area successful and of course the one that came to mind was Corn Fest.

The theme this year for Grundy County’s Corn Festival is “Where Corn Connects Community.” How perfect is this to partner for a countywide shopping program? The Corn Fest Board answered the call and was thrilled to team up for the Discover Grundy passport program.

Now through Sept. 19, if you shop at participating locations, pick up your passport and go to at least half of the locations on the card to get the chance to win an exclusive Corn Fest T-shirt. If you fill the whole card, you get the chance at a shirt and a Corn Fest trinket.

The prizes are limited to the first 50 turned in, so start making your passport stops now. Participating locations include Sunshine Garden Center at 2850 E. Division St. in Diamond, Creative Treasurers & More at 2585 E. Division St. in Diamond, West Flooring at 85 N. Daley St. in Diamond, The Cove at 410 N. Broadway in Diamond, Sweet Treats & Tasty Eats at 301 S. Broadway St. in Coal City, Rooted at 125 W. Mondamin St. in Minooka, Mallard Point Veterinary Clinic at 25520 S. Pheasant Lane in Channahon, Channahon Lanes & Mini Golf at 25306 W. Eames St. in Channahon, LuxeMed Wellness & Aesthetics at 24735 W. Eames St. in Channahon, Tractor Supply at 26829 W. Eames St. in Channahon, Oleanders at 304 Liberty St. in Morris, Wash Cove Flex and Detail Center at 1720 N. Division St. in Morris, Narvick Brothers Home & Hardware at 1577 US-6 in Morris, Apple Butter & Shugies at 317 Liberty St. in Morris and Rock Soul Love Luminary Foundation at 216 Washington St. in Morris.

We hope you always think local first when doing your shopping for gifts, essentials, and services. This program will reward you for it and get you ready for our favorite time of year—Corn Fest!