The DeKalb and Sycamore chambers of commerce teamed up Thursday for the first-ever Kishwaukee Valley Community Expo.

The expo, held at the Kishwaukee College Conference Center had 79 vendors from the DeKalb and Sycamore area.

Vicki Simon, owner of Culver’s in Sycamore, said she gave away about 300 cups of ice cream in just three hours.

“I’m giving away free custard, talking to people, meeting the community,” said Simon, referring to why she took a booth at the expo.

The expo lasted from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.

It was pretty slow the first hour, said Ryne Grubar, a masseuse at Bella Salon of 205 N. Second St. in DeKalb.

She gave about 15 free massages that each lasted from 5 to 10 minutes throughout the day.

And if massages were not enough of an incentive to attend, free money may have done the trick.

National Bank and Trust Company gave selected people 30 seconds in a money chamber allowing people to grab as much money floating in the air as they could.

Nancy Schaeffer, a customer service officer of the bank, said winners received anywhere from $9 to $35.

“We hope to generate some interest in the bank,” Schaeffer said.

The expo was the result of feedback the chambers of commerce received after their annual business-to-business trade show held each May.

Rose Treml, executive director of the Sycamore Chamber of Commerce, was very happy with how the expo went and has high aspirations for future expos.

“It was a huge success, and a great start,” Treml said. “I’d like to see us all in one room with 100 exhibitors.”

The expo had vendors split into two different rooms in order to fit every booth.

The expo had many different types of vendors. The Sycamore Library was promoting many of their programs and growing media collection.

“We can’t compete against Blockbuster,” said Sarah Tobias, director of the library.

“Take advantage of the services you pay for through your taxes,” Tobias said, referring to the new programs and collection of DVDs and videos at the library.

NIU was not absent from the community expo either. NIU mascot Victor E. Huskie and several cheerleaders were in attendance, passing out flyers and promoting school spirit.

Kim Kubiak, the director of the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce and lead organizer of the event, felt good as the expo was coming to a close.

“I think we had well over a thousand people,” said Kubiak, which was double what she had expected.

“People said it exceeded their expectations.”

Organizers expect for the expo to become a yearly event, along with their business to business expo held in May.