Two Downers Grove South High School students have launched a Facebook group aimed at convincing the village council to reconsider its decision to cut the 2010 Heritage Fest.
The public group, “Bring Back the 2010 Heritage Fest,” is administered by Brianna Michele Richardson and Rachel Pineda, who is identified as its creator.
“The Downers Grove Village canceled the 2010 DG Heritage Fest,” according to the description. “This is one of the biggest festivals around and they can’t just take it away from us! Join and please help us get enough signatures to turn into the Village Council! We are going to have a written petition going around and we are hoping to get 500 or more signatures. Come on DG and all who attend Heritage Fest! Bring the tradition back! Invite all your friends to join!”
When I received an invitation to join the group Wednesday afternoon, the membership stood at about 400. As of this morning, it’s 1,400. “Wow, we break 1,000 members in one night! Thanks everyone,” Pineda wrote Wednesday night.
While most of the members appear to be high school and college kids, the ranks of adult members — including Tom Cawthorne, Mark Thoman, Elena Falco and Greg Boltz — seem to be growing.
One of them, Donna Gilbert wrote, “The Heritage Fest Changed My Life – After seven years of wearing braces on my arm I met a (doctor) at Heritage Fest that figured out I was allergic to Milk! Keep this festival!”
Among the comments were indications that an organized effort could be in the offing.
“Heritage Fest was a major part of my childhood,” wrote Dorothy Ann McQuaid. “I would GLADLY donate towards a fund to bring even a small-scale version back. Obviously money is tight for all of us so maybe we can cut down the less popular rides or booths, but we need to come out as a community and do SOMETHING.”
Other teens debated the economic realities that led to the decision in the first place. “Council probably isn’t going to re-vote on the budget distribution” wrote Kyle Moy. “This is $400 grand we’re talking about.”
“You all realize this is because of the economy right? They’re not just going to give it back because a bunch of people on Facebook joined a group,” wrote Tom Cannan.
Which raises some interesting questions: Is Facebook the new conduit for civic activism? Could circulating paper petitions become passe?
And will the village council — or any elected body — respond to a Facebook group of hundreds or possibly even thousands of residents, the members of which appear to be using real names?
Stay tuned.
What’s most impressive, beyond the instant digital activism, is how thoughtful and realistic many of the posts are. I was genuinely surprised at how many of the students get that this isn’t a case of stodgy old politicians peeing on our proverbial bowl of Cheerios (on a stick!), its a reality of the fiscal times we are living in. The cut hurt everyone involved, and everyone affected.
I’m anxious to see how many creative ideas to save the fest spring forth out of this endeavor, if 1000+ motivated Facebookers can’t come up with a viable alternative, who could?
SOF (Save our Fest); Anyone with star power or fiscal power that has been affect by Downers for the greater good; yes, nobody elected or current resident of DG asked me to post this. But your darn right, I am asking for hand out or support of some sort to keep the Fest alive (relax Earl this is not a spiritual revival, it’s a fair for a safe and good time, Downers will keep on living and so will all its great memories and great new memories that will be made).
While I think it’s a great idea, I’m not sure a petition alone will have council scratching their heads wanting to bring it back.
Come up with some creative ideas on how the Village can increase their revenue share and reduce its costs. Some might be: main stage shows at Tivoli and charge for them, open up more public parking lots for parking and charge, sell programs and ad space, split the pot and raffles are always a big draw, etc.. Estimate how much charities generate and return to the Village. Develop a forecast as to why it makes financial sense to keep it going. Present it to the decision makers. Round numbers–100,000 people a year visit HF and the Village generates for itself less than $4 per person. I think that number can be easily doubled. What I found troubling was that at the final Council vote on HF only 3 citizens spoke up to save it. I wish the students luck. HF is good for DG in so many ways and very much worth saving.
I was told that back in the 1950′s to early 1960′s the American Legion volunteers would go door to door asking and receiving donations for the Downers Grove fireworks display on the Fourth of July. I have been playing with numbers, which I have not done since attending Herrick. Going off Wikipedia on Downers Gove with the census of 2007 population est. 48,995 and the village’s high end est. cost of $494,000. That would work out to $10.08 and a fraction per person. Since we all know, that not all residents of Downers Grove are fans of the fest. I figure maybe 60% for and 40% against and at worst 50/50. I remember reading in one of Downers Grove great newspapers may moons ago (about fifteen years ago) that a cyclist was attractive to Downers Grove because of the race that was held here. So the cyclist bought a home in Downers to raise his family and the closeness to Chicago. I try to copycat the Bob Greene story from the 1980′s about how a current college student ask Mr. Greene readers to send some pennies equal to their age so that the student would finish college. If I remember correctly Mr. Greene ran the story “for kicks” and little behold it worked. Just maybe if all former residents and current residents that believe in the spirit of the fest could send in the amount of pennies equal their age that would get the ball rolling in the right direction. I don’t believe that all these pennies would equal the amount needed. I understand this fest not a statue (apples and oranges Earl); I remember be educated in grade school how it was the grade school children that raise the money for the Statue of Liberty (I couldn’t find the information in Wikipedia to fact/check this). I believe (speaking for myself/ a former resident), that if the village government were to receive donations for the 2010 fest, not that they would not want to make this a habit. I believe I know a little or some of the history of Downers and that Downers has a strong history of raising to the occasion when it comes to giving (That land the Indian Boundary Y sits on, Ebersold park {Which I, personally got to see first-hand one of greatest speeches ever in Downers at South high, thank you Open land Association and most important the Ebersold family.} I smile every time I drive by there, thankful for that open space.} I am darn sure the list of Downers residents of giving can go on and on and will continue to go on. I believe young people on face book can and will pull it off; it’s the American way to root for the underdog (I guess you got to be if a Bears fan/Chicago fan.)
If I am all over the place just sharing my brainstorming ideas to SOF, I just trying to help (let go of Downers Earl.)
This is a fest before the apples and orange remark for some reason the click to edit is skipping arond on my computer and unable to edit my many typo’s and grammar errors. What did you expect from a guy who just got 16 on ACT.
I can tell ya that I for one will NOT be donating money to get it back. While I love Heritage Fest it is simple we can’t afford it AND with all of these new taxes that our city council stupidly passed people need the money to pay for that……
“I feel your pain,” those that can donate your spare change (Brother Can you spare a dime?) or volunteer your time. I don’t pay property taxes in the Grove, but raising property taxes when the values are going down. I understand I was asleep during Mr. Mitchell’s Economics 101 at North, but can somebody draw me a picture on this matter (Earl you getting off topic and breaking William Zinsser rules “On Writing Well” which you don’t: Thank God you don’t here live anymore: you can take your ideas and politics and blog elsewhere).