Underneath the small pavilion behind the Edwardsburg Sports Complex, leaders from two separate communities bonded together Wednesday.

Members of the Granger Business Association in Indiana crossed state lines on Aug. 2 to interact with the Edwardsburg community, as the ESC hosted the Association’s monthly after hours party. Many members of the Granger Business Association attended the event. The ESC also invited many business leaders from Edwardsburg, including the Edwardsburg Chamber of Commerce. The event featured finger foods for attendants to snack on, as well as adult beverages and other refreshments.

The ESC has been a member of the Granger Business Association for about a year, said Director Jennifer Mackling.

The ESC initially joined the association to gain a presence in Granger, something Mackling said is essential.

“We’ve made a lot of good business connections through the Granger Business Association. It’s exciting now to have other people who have supported us in other ways to see what this is and what we are working on,” Mackling said. “Granger is a 10-minute drive away. There’s no reason for our businesses not to have a connection.”

Board President of the Granger Business Association Todd Zaseck also feels that a connection between Edwardsburg and Granger could be beneficial for both communities.

Zaseck said that the after-hours parties are a way for local business leaders to network with other business leaders to make valuable connections. He said he is happy to extend that opportunity and reach to Edwardsburg.

“These communities are so close and many people that live in one of the communities may work in the other,” Zaseck said. “There are areas where businesses can tap into in both communities.”

The event also potentially opened doors for Edwardsburg as many institutions in Edwardsburg have not had to chance to work with the Granger Business Association or market to the Granger community.

Edwardsburg Chamber of Commerce member Roy Smothermon said that he cannot remember a time that the chamber has worked with Granger businesses, but that he was excited to get to know some of them and see what the Granger Business Association was all about.

The ESC had a great time running the event and hopes to do so again sometime in the future, Mackling said.

“We are very excited that we got the opportunity to host [the after-hours event], and to have so many people here to take part,” Mackling said. “The connections made at these events really do translate into support for local business.”