By Brian Smith
Register News Writer
RICHMOND — Gloomy weather and college basketball did not keep people away from Saturday’s Madison County Home Energy Expo at the Perkins Building on Eastern Kentucky University’s campus.
The second-annual event, hosted by Madison County’s University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension office, moved to the EKU campus this year after last year’s event was conducted at Glenn Marshall Elementary School.
“We needed more space,” said extension agent Gina Noe.
Turnout was high this year despite the expo having to compete with a University of Kentucky basketball game and cool, cloudy weather.
“We had a lot of people waiting to get in,” Noe said. “We had over 500 people last year.”
The move to EKU allowed organizers to add workshops, which were a popular part of last year’s event, Noe said. “It gave us more workshop space.”
Extension agent Amanda Sears said one of the additions to this year’s event were several 4-H workshops for children. The workshops included learning about water usage and an electricity workshop where participants constructed electrical circuits.
The 4-H workshops for children replaced craft-building activities for children from last year’s event.
Workshops for adults included composting, informational seminars on wind and solar power and tips for reducing carbon footprints. A home weatherization workshop also offered tips on how to make homes more energy-efficient.
“We have all new workshops from last year, and we added some because we had people standing last year,” Sears said.
An exhibit hall included displays from more than 25 exhibitors, including several local civic groups, home improvement businesses, utilities and homebuilders.
The Richmond Tree Board was distributing tree seedlings to attendees as a giveaway, and other exhibitors also offered items.
Organizers conducted a drawing for two $200 gift cards from all attendees who completed a worksheet that included questions on energy usage and recycling and a checklist of exhibitors.
Brian Smith may be reached at bsmith@richmondregister.com or at 624-6694. For breaking news, follow Brian at www.twitter.com/RR_BSmith.
