By Logan B. Anderson

DOVER — Members of the Central Delaware Chamber of Commerce came together in Dover on Wednesday to show off their services and wares during the 2022 Chamber Showcase, Mixer and Member-to-Member Expo.

On Jan. 26, the chamber held the three-events-in-one inside the St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church banquet hall.

Every month, the business-focused group organizes a mixer for its members to connect. Twice a year, the chamber holds an exhibition so its members can display what they do. Every January, the Central Delaware Chamber of Commerce holds a membership showcase so it can demonstrate what it does for its members and hopefully attract new people and businesses to join.

Wednesday’s event combined all three. St. Andrew’s hosted, and The Catering Company provided the refreshments.

“It’s important for members to showcase their businesses, but it is important for us to use this platform to show what the chamber can do,” said Central Delaware Chamber of Commerce President Dina Vendetti.

The expo featured security and staffing professionals, home and health improvement leaders and banking and investment specialists.

“It is a really good way for them to market their business. It is really good for people that are maybe working out of their home and don’t have a storefront for people to visit. For example, people that are doing personal services of some kind. We have a variety of them here,” Ms. Vendetti said.

Michelle Devillers, owner of Celestial Shoes and Accessories, was one such business that came to Dover to connect with others in the business community in central Delaware.

“I want to expand my business into Kent County and southern Delaware,” Ms. Devillers said of why she wanted to be a part of Wednesday’s expo.

Celestial Shoes is a mobile shoe store that works to provide hard-to-find shoes and accessories for special occasions. Ms. Devillers said some women may have larger feet and don’t fit the shoes in ordinary shoe stores, so her service can source larger or wider shoes and deliver them to her customers’ door.

The one-stop shoe shop also focuses on wedding, formal, health, and safety shoes. She also carries lines of purses, shoe and foot care items and other accessories.

Visit the shop at celestialshoes.com.

G. Fedale Roofing and Siding has been serving Delmarva, Pennsylvania and New Jersey for more than two decades. They chose to participate in the Central Delaware Chamber Expo to connect with others in central Delaware.

“We always want to be involved in the local community,” said Mike Davis, G. Fedale marketing manager.

The construction firm with offices in Wilmington, Lewes and New Wales, Pennsylvania, also highlighted its new charity effort called Roofs from the Heart. The company is working to give away one new roof each quarter to a person in need. The company solicits nominations then posts the contestants on its social media platforms. The one with the most likes, gets a new roof. Mr. Davis said the program is a way for his company to give back and build community.

Visit gfedaleroof.com to learn more about the company’s charity work.

The showcase portion of Wednesday’s event highlighted the CDCC’s foundational pillars, Ms. Vendetti said.

“In January, we always have the CDCC showcase. We encourage people to bring a guest. The four pillars of the chamber are education, legislation, marketing and networking,” she said.

Throughout St. Andrew’s banquet hall, chamber members staffed tables that represented each pillar of the organization with information for its current and potential members.

For more information about the CDCC, visit.

The chamber will continue its monthly mixers throughout 2022 and is planning its second expo for sometime in August.