Grand Island Chamber of Commerce: 16th annual KidBiz is June 23

Training session June 5

The 16th annual KidBiz Sidewalk Sale will be held Saturday, June 23, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Training for KidBiz will be Tuesday, June 5, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Little Theater at Veronica Connor Middle School, 1100 Ransom Road. Young entrepreneurs will learn various aspects of running a business. Topics such as pricing, marketing and customer service are covered at the training event.

KidBiz, developed by the Small Business Development Center at Buffalo State College and Forever Elmwood, was launched in 1996. It was designed to give children in the second through eighth grades the experience and excitement of running their own business.

KidBiz made its debut on Grand Island in 1997 as part of the "Plaza Happening." Last year, Jim Sharpe, Beverly Kinney and Mike Heftka coordinated the event with more than 110 children selling their products in the Grand Island Town Park in the center of our town. Articles sold included old books, toys, crafts, baked goods, and a whole lot more. The young business owners particularly got a sense of running a business as they had to pay a $8 rental space fee and received a "license" to sell at the site.

KidBiz is an opportunity for children to engage in a real-life business experience. For more information, contact the chamber office at 773-3651.