If you have an idea for a new business, a business expansion or a project that will impact Wheeling, you are encouraged to apply for Wheeling Heritage’s Show of Hands. The winner will leave the event with more than $3,500 to put toward his or her idea.
Applications are due May 1 and can be completed at wheelingheritage.org/show-of-hands. A committee will review applications, and four will be chosen to move on to the presentation round.
At the event, four presenters will explain their ideas to community members in attendance. Attendees then vote on their favorite, and the presenter who receives the most votes receives $3,000, plus door donations, to put toward the project.
The next Show of Hands event is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 22, on the third floor of the Artisan Center, located at 1400 Main St. in Wheeling. Attendees pay $5 at the door, which is added to the winner’s prize.
Recent winners include Clientele Art Studio, a new art gallery and studio space in East Wheeling, and Attention to Detail, a car detailing company that recently expanded and relocated to Wheeling Island.
Orrick, the program’s corporate sponsor, donates $1,000 for each event. The Friends of Show of Hands, which consists of community members and business owners, contribute $250 to each event. Friends of Show of Hands include Dave and Beth Weaver of Wheeling Volkswagen & Subaru, Dr. and Mrs. Dan Joseph of Joseph Orthodontics, Brian Joseph of Touchstone Research Laboratory, Fuzz and Barb LaRue, H. Lawrence Jones, Kennen & Kennen Realtors, Warwood Armature, and Rabbi Joshua Lief and Rebecca Lief.
So far, Show of Hands has given more than $58,000 to support small businesses and projects in Wheeling.
About Wheeling Heritage:
Wheeling Heritage is a catalyst for the revitalization of Wheeling. Through historic preservation, community development and the arts, Wheeling Heritage helps to tell Wheeling’s story and shape its future. Wheeling Heritage seeks to improve the quality of life in Wheeling by preserving and investing in the city, collaborating with others and engaging the citizens of Wheeling in its work.