Nominees for Coolest Thing Made in Illinois Include Local Businesses

You have until 11:59pm Sunday to vote in the 2021 Makers Madness competition, where you can help decide The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois.

The competition is sponsored by the Illinois Manufacturers Association. The initial round allowed anyone to nominate their favorite thing. 311 unique products from across the state were nominated. 

The contest is moving to the Top 16. 

Area products are on the list. They include Boos Block cutting boards, manufactured by John Boos and Company of Effingham, as well as a robotic assembly produced by Versatech of Effingham. The third area contestant is The Original Kitchenette Broom, manufactured by Newton Broom and Brush in Newton. Also, Duncan Hines cake mixes are on the list. All flour for those mixes is produced by Siemer Milling Company, and Wishbone ranch dressing is an entry. That's produced by Conagra with a factory in St. Elmo

To vote, go to www.makersmadnessil.com. You can vote for up to five individual product entries per day with no more than one vote per product, per day.

Consecutive rounds of voting will take place each following week, culminating with an awards ceremony on March 24 when The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois will be named.