The future looks bright, if a number of young entrepreneurs who recently pitched their ideas at Dakota Community Centre is anything to go by.

Organizers at the St. Vital-based recreational hub invited youth to pitch their business ideas for the Future Makers contest, competing for two spots at DCC’s annual Christmas craft sale later this year.

In the end, eight youth-run companies competed in the contest, and the winners were Bakes ’N’ Makes Handmade Gifts, and Penguin Crafts, which have both won spots for the Nov. 2 and 3 event.

Bakes ’N’ Makes Handmade Gifts has won a free booth at this year’s Christmas market that will be held at Dakota Community Centre’s fieldhouse.

“It’s the first time we’ve done this,” said Lise Thiessen, Dakota Community Centre’s manager of community engagement and development. “It went really well.”

At press time, Dakota Community Centre was hoping to finalize a sponsorship agreement so that all eight contest entrants will be able to set up shop at the sale.

“We’re partnering with a community organization to enable all eight businesses to showcase at the craft sale,” Thiessen said.

Entrants included three eight-year-olds, while the oldest was 15, Thiessen said.

“We were quite impressed. To see eight-and 10-year-olds creating business plans and coming up with business plans was great,” she said.

“It was really neat to see all these kids doing this that live in the community and go to school in the community. All of them are connected to the centre in some way.”

Thiessen said there will be big changes at the craft sale this year, as it’s bring moved from the centre’s main building to the fieldhouse to accommodate a bigger event, almost doubling the amount of booths and making it fully accessible.

Supplied photo
Penguin Crafts has won a free booth at this year’s Christmas market that will be held at Dakota Community Centre’s fieldhouse.

“It’s a new change, and a big change,” Thiessen said, noting the sale, in terms of vendors, recently sold out. “This will hopefully allow us to set up a Future Makers corner at the event.”

“We’re really excited about all the big changes, and we’re hoping the community comes out and supports these young entrepreneurs.”

Original Article: https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/east/2024/04/10/young-minds-big-ideas