Life Connections provides seniors with a show full of vendors, entertainment and camaraderie

Attendees mingle in the vendor booth area during the Life Connections event at the Willmar Civic Center on Friday, April 22, 2022. This year's event will take place April 21 with vendors, entertainment and guest speaker Boyd Huppert.

By Shelby Lindrud

April 20, 2023 at 3:33 PM

WILLMAR — For its 22nd year, Life Connections will be taking over the Willmar Civic Center, providing seniors from the region a great place to meet up with friends and make connections with businesses and organizations geared toward their community.

Doors open at 8 a.m. April 21 to the general public. Attendees to the free event can begin the day with a hot breakfast from Chris Cakes Pancakes.

Tim Cook of Chris Cakes Catering out of Pocahontas, Iowa flips a pancake to the plate of Jeff Asche during the Life Connections event at the Willmar Civic Center on Friday, April 22, 2022. — Tim Cook of Chris Cakes Catering out of Pocahontas, Iowa, flips a pancake to the plate of Jeff Asche during the Life Connections event at the Willmar Civic Center on Friday, April 22, 2022. Chris Cakes will again be serving pancakes at the 2023 event.

The Outstanding Senior Award will be given to Paul Hedin at 9:45 a.m.

KARE-11's Boyd Huppert, of Land of 10,000 Stories fame, will be the featured guest speaker at the event. He will take the stage at 10:30 a.m.

There will also be speakers at 12:30 p.m. and 1 p.m.

There will also be plenty of opportunities for fun and entertainment. The Kingery Family will fill the arena with music at 11:30 a.m. Visitors will be able to test their luck during a game of BINGO at 1:30 p.m. Closing out the event at 2 p.m. will be the Larry Olson Band, a well-known regional Polka group.

Members of the Kingery Family perform during the Life Connections event at the Willmar Civic Center on Friday, April 22, 2022. The musical group have been a staple at Life Connections for several years and will be performing at the 2023 event as well.

Throughout the day, vendors from various businesses and organizations will be on hand to speak with attendees. In past years, vendors have come from senior housing facilities, health care providers, financial institutions and nonprofits.

Life Connections is put on by the West Central Tribune, Southwest Initiative Foundation and St. Cloud Surgical Center.

By Shelby Lindrud

Shelby Lindrud is a reporter with the West Central Tribune of Willmar. Her focus areas are arts and entertainment, agriculture, features writing and the Kandiyohi County Board.

She can be reached via email slindrud@wctrib.com or direct 320-214-4373.

Life Connections provides seniors with a show full of vendors, entertainment and camaraderie

The senior-focused vendor show is April 21 at the Willmar Civic Center.