Vendors wanted for outdoor recreation show

Fall show aims to develop appreciation for outdoor activities and the environment

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Steuben County is calling for vendors to showcase their wares and services at the first annual Southern Tier Outdoor Recreation Exposition (S.T.O.R.E.), an exciting new show scheduled for October 6- 7, 2007 in Bath, brought to you by Kent Brown Toyota and Heartland Recreational Vehicles. This show, to be held in our own backyard, will bring together all types of exhibitors related to outdoor leisure, sport and recreation, as well as offer education on outdoor activities including seminars and demonstrations by local sportsmen. The event is geared to developing an appreciation for the many activities that people can do outdoors from which they can develop a deeper appreciation for our environment while enjoying family time and boosting our local economy.

Held at Wilkins Recreational Vehicles Inc on Route 415 in Bath, the location offer five acres of indoor and outdoor exhibit space including camping and easy access off Interstate 86. WETMTV, Pembrook Pines Media Group, and the GateHouse Media Newspaper Group including the Leader, The Bath Courier, and the Hornell Evening Tribune have partnered in the project to help provide wide media coverage.

S.T.O.R.E. is now accepting registrations for exhibitors who want to be a part of this amazing show in the beautiful Finger Lakes during fall foliage. Wild game cooking classes...soil testing... farm equipment... gardening seminars... outdoor gear and sporting goods...live fish and animal displays... recreational vehicles and ATV's...food vendors... live entertainment... are all a part of the fun. Exhibitors will have the opportunity for increased sales, personal contact, product awareness, corporate exposure, networking, sampling and market research.

Outdoor recreation is getting a lot of attention these days. Last fall hunting and fishing enthusiasts met in Cuba, NY, to develop a task force to promote outdoor recreation. They discussed legislation to draw youth into hunting programs earlier, strategies to help sportsman join state boards, and the safety perceptions of the sport. A Cornell University study last year suggested that the amount of time children can play in the "wild" before they are 11 years old correlates with how much they actively care about their environment later in life. "When children become truly engaged with the natural world at a young age, the experience is likely to stay with them in a powerful way - shaping their subsequent environmental path," says Nancy Wells, an assistant professor at Cornell.

Seminars and activities at S.T.O.R.E. will include information on how to manage our habitat to benefit the desirable native wildlife species. Specialists will also teach ways to manage invasive species that have been introduced to our forests, fields, and waterways so we can minimize their negative impacts on the environment. There will be discussion of alternative energy that can be derived from our natural resources and how current environmental issues are affecting our natural resources.

The two day event will offer vendors, interactive activities, entertainment, refreshments, door prizes and much more. Cooperative Extension is now accepting registrations for exhibit booths. All information is available at www.southerntieroutdoor show.com or by calling 607-664-2300. This is an event not to be missed by families, buyers, retailers, and outfitters across the Southern Tier.