Early on in planning stages for this weekend event, we questioned what the goals for this celebration were. Are we simply raising money? Are we simply trying to have a Bloomington Parade? Are we just looking for a place to celebrate the 4th of July? Why go to all this work?
The answer I believe we all came to was that we desired to help foster in a big way a sense of community in Bloomington! We wanted to reach beyond the walls of religious circles, beyond the veil of religious "ward boundaries" and reach out to include ALL the people of this community!
We did! Everyone on all the committees have been fabulous! We have one more part yet to complete, but to this hour, the celebration has been meticulously planned and executed and in my opinion and that of my family, we deem it to have been a Great Success! With respect to these goals, we have exceeded what we thought possible!
The fun run/walk began at 7:00 a.m.. They had approximately 150 people participate! They decided because of moneys brought in from a corporate gift from Kohls and another local individual who donated the award metals, their goal was to have many participate including families and not have it cost them! They did! My phone has been ringing off the hook all week with people who wanted to know how to sign up and how much it really was! They couldn't believe it was free! I know many came and brought friends and neighbors because... they could and it didn't cost them to come! Thank you B.G. and B.B. and families! You're fabulous! Wow! Well done!
The amazing breakfast committee was simply amazing! The details they took care of are limitless! Sum total, they fed between 600 and 1200 people! They put on a beautiful spread, and the tables while never all completely full (we set up 70 tables with 8 seats/table) gave a place for families, neighbors, friends to socialize and meet! The camaraderie I witnessed and participated in was just what I hoped! People lingered and visited, many staying clear until 10:30 even in the warm sun to say Hi to friends and neighbors! Thank you B&W B. and A&K L! They each recruited an additional five couples to come help cook! I didn't even get to meet all these people, but was so touched that they would be there before 6:30 a.m. to set up (some came the night before too!) and then stand there cooking until after 10:00 a.m. to serve and give back to our community! That is what makes America great! Great men and women who are willing to put their shoulders to the wheel, even at great personal sacrifices, to make the world a better, friendlier, funner, safer place to be! To have people around who know you, and greet with a warm handshake or hug, embracing because they sincerely care! I am so grateful! Thank you Breakfast committee! You were much of the glue that held the entire event together! It wouldn't have been the same to just have pieces - the Breakfast gave racers, parade goers, veterans, kids all a place to converge, to greet and to be fed emotionally, socially, physically, I believe spiritually too!!!! Thank you! Words don't express my gratitude!
The parade was free to participate in, and I believe there were more than 35 entries in the end, with many including more than 30 people/entry. D&M R did an outstanding job! They were often the targets of criticism as the vision of the parade was very different among all including the Bloomington Community Council members to begin with! These two stood head on, and thankfully didn't shy away! They recruited great people... T.F., and G.J. and their families to help with clean up days leading up the the parade, providing a clean, beautiful place for the parade to take place! Saturday morning, despite on-going grumbles from some, the parade route was LINED with people to support and participate! The parking lots were loaded with floats of all kinds thanks to the hard work of these two as well as A.P.! The two Veterans floats weren't full, but we invited many, and had enough show up to use the two floats! Even those veterans who weren't able to come appreciated being invited. I am sure we missed many who should have been recognized, we apologize, and hope we can improve our lists for future years! M.R. was able to get helium and balloons donated from a local business man who heard of the event, and said it was the least he could do to support the efforts to make Bloomington great! This gave us a fun balloon to share along the route and with float participants. That was fun! Thanks S.H. and family for helping with a great place to hand these out! B.H. and D.R. were the emcees for the parade, and J. helped set up the sound equipment! Thank you all! T.F. gathered info and did cute signs for the Grand Marshal who was amazing, I am so grateful to learn about yet another outstanding resident of Bloomigton who has done outstanding things to make our world a great place to live in! Wow!
A.L. on publicity did a fabulous job! He found a local Bloomington resident to donate all the copies to post and distribute in full color at no cost to us! 2500 color copies is no small donation! Thank you PowerInk!!!! I heard from others that they had heard about the event on the radio. (I don't listen to radio much so I didn't hear it myself.) The newspaper, thanks to A.L. included a 2 column post about the events taking place the day before. Thank you A! We wish they would have included us in the note in Sunday's paper, but we will follow up better next year! For this year, there was quite debate about how many to plan for, and how far the Bloomington Community Council even wanted us to advertise! They really wanted everyone there to have a direct link or tie to Bloomington. I disagree - if others desire to come participate with us, they should feel welcome, we don't run an exclusive club here in Bloomington! We welcome all and hope they will feel at home. In the end, I think we had good mix!
I must mention here the great games, and fun of the fire truck! J. spearheaded the Youth Community Council, and orchestrated so well music playing at the park, and games for all levels! After setting up all those tables and chairs, my kids then slept out at the park to be sure the stoves, tables, etc would not be bothered in the night! Then several members of the youth council came early to help cover the tables, wiping the sprinkler water off, and preparing for breakfast! The Youth Council then helped with games for kids of all ages at the park! We took the paper rocket launcher, and it was a HIT! They played Ultimate Frisbee, Three-legged races, hula hoop, team games, football soccer, root beer guzzle, pie eating contests and more! The final was a tug of war with the fire truck showing up right in time to hose all off and provide a perfect end to the party before the serious heat of the day hit! Thank you J, L, C, S, B, and S! Thank you little J for being such a trooper as you jump from the jeeps, to the truck, with whomever to hurry with the next part! Thank you St. George Fire department especially volunteer firefighter B.V. for coming to help on your own time! It was perfect! What can I say - I am pleased and thrilled with all the details!
Tonight is the Patriotic Program. I have to run to finish details for that, but I am so thrilled with the success so far!
I need to note that weather was a definite miracle! I prayed for cooler temperatures, and prayers were answered! So many prayers were answered! I am thankful for Divine intervention in my life and the details of these activities He orchestrated to have them work out beautifully! Thank you Father!
I need to thank so many - how will I ever? Every committee member! Wow! They are awesome! How to adequately thank them for hours and hours of time? I also need to thank all the Youth Council members who showed up and worked Friday night putting up chairs and tables, and those who came to help run the games on Saturday, and those who will show up in an hour to help again with chairs and ushering. I am thankful to know there are good kids out there who want to be involved in good activities! Thank you young people! You're amazing!
Miracles happen! Sad I loaded the camera, but learned early Saturday morning that our battery was completely dead. I understand some pictures taken by the American Legion are online already someplace. I'll post the link when I get it.
It's a Grand Old Flag! I love Bloomington residents who desire to make the world a great place and help by participating!
The answer I believe we all came to was that we desired to help foster in a big way a sense of community in Bloomington! We wanted to reach beyond the walls of religious circles, beyond the veil of religious "ward boundaries" and reach out to include ALL the people of this community!
We did! Everyone on all the committees have been fabulous! We have one more part yet to complete, but to this hour, the celebration has been meticulously planned and executed and in my opinion and that of my family, we deem it to have been a Great Success! With respect to these goals, we have exceeded what we thought possible!
The fun run/walk began at 7:00 a.m.. They had approximately 150 people participate! They decided because of moneys brought in from a corporate gift from Kohls and another local individual who donated the award metals, their goal was to have many participate including families and not have it cost them! They did! My phone has been ringing off the hook all week with people who wanted to know how to sign up and how much it really was! They couldn't believe it was free! I know many came and brought friends and neighbors because... they could and it didn't cost them to come! Thank you B.G. and B.B. and families! You're fabulous! Wow! Well done!
The amazing breakfast committee was simply amazing! The details they took care of are limitless! Sum total, they fed between 600 and 1200 people! They put on a beautiful spread, and the tables while never all completely full (we set up 70 tables with 8 seats/table) gave a place for families, neighbors, friends to socialize and meet! The camaraderie I witnessed and participated in was just what I hoped! People lingered and visited, many staying clear until 10:30 even in the warm sun to say Hi to friends and neighbors! Thank you B&W B. and A&K L! They each recruited an additional five couples to come help cook! I didn't even get to meet all these people, but was so touched that they would be there before 6:30 a.m. to set up (some came the night before too!) and then stand there cooking until after 10:00 a.m. to serve and give back to our community! That is what makes America great! Great men and women who are willing to put their shoulders to the wheel, even at great personal sacrifices, to make the world a better, friendlier, funner, safer place to be! To have people around who know you, and greet with a warm handshake or hug, embracing because they sincerely care! I am so grateful! Thank you Breakfast committee! You were much of the glue that held the entire event together! It wouldn't have been the same to just have pieces - the Breakfast gave racers, parade goers, veterans, kids all a place to converge, to greet and to be fed emotionally, socially, physically, I believe spiritually too!!!! Thank you! Words don't express my gratitude!
The parade was free to participate in, and I believe there were more than 35 entries in the end, with many including more than 30 people/entry. D&M R did an outstanding job! They were often the targets of criticism as the vision of the parade was very different among all including the Bloomington Community Council members to begin with! These two stood head on, and thankfully didn't shy away! They recruited great people... T.F., and G.J. and their families to help with clean up days leading up the the parade, providing a clean, beautiful place for the parade to take place! Saturday morning, despite on-going grumbles from some, the parade route was LINED with people to support and participate! The parking lots were loaded with floats of all kinds thanks to the hard work of these two as well as A.P.! The two Veterans floats weren't full, but we invited many, and had enough show up to use the two floats! Even those veterans who weren't able to come appreciated being invited. I am sure we missed many who should have been recognized, we apologize, and hope we can improve our lists for future years! M.R. was able to get helium and balloons donated from a local business man who heard of the event, and said it was the least he could do to support the efforts to make Bloomington great! This gave us a fun balloon to share along the route and with float participants. That was fun! Thanks S.H. and family for helping with a great place to hand these out! B.H. and D.R. were the emcees for the parade, and J. helped set up the sound equipment! Thank you all! T.F. gathered info and did cute signs for the Grand Marshal who was amazing, I am so grateful to learn about yet another outstanding resident of Bloomigton who has done outstanding things to make our world a great place to live in! Wow!
A.L. on publicity did a fabulous job! He found a local Bloomington resident to donate all the copies to post and distribute in full color at no cost to us! 2500 color copies is no small donation! Thank you PowerInk!!!! I heard from others that they had heard about the event on the radio. (I don't listen to radio much so I didn't hear it myself.) The newspaper, thanks to A.L. included a 2 column post about the events taking place the day before. Thank you A! We wish they would have included us in the note in Sunday's paper, but we will follow up better next year! For this year, there was quite debate about how many to plan for, and how far the Bloomington Community Council even wanted us to advertise! They really wanted everyone there to have a direct link or tie to Bloomington. I disagree - if others desire to come participate with us, they should feel welcome, we don't run an exclusive club here in Bloomington! We welcome all and hope they will feel at home. In the end, I think we had good mix!
I must mention here the great games, and fun of the fire truck! J. spearheaded the Youth Community Council, and orchestrated so well music playing at the park, and games for all levels! After setting up all those tables and chairs, my kids then slept out at the park to be sure the stoves, tables, etc would not be bothered in the night! Then several members of the youth council came early to help cover the tables, wiping the sprinkler water off, and preparing for breakfast! The Youth Council then helped with games for kids of all ages at the park! We took the paper rocket launcher, and it was a HIT! They played Ultimate Frisbee, Three-legged races, hula hoop, team games, football soccer, root beer guzzle, pie eating contests and more! The final was a tug of war with the fire truck showing up right in time to hose all off and provide a perfect end to the party before the serious heat of the day hit! Thank you J, L, C, S, B, and S! Thank you little J for being such a trooper as you jump from the jeeps, to the truck, with whomever to hurry with the next part! Thank you St. George Fire department especially volunteer firefighter B.V. for coming to help on your own time! It was perfect! What can I say - I am pleased and thrilled with all the details!
Tonight is the Patriotic Program. I have to run to finish details for that, but I am so thrilled with the success so far!
I need to note that weather was a definite miracle! I prayed for cooler temperatures, and prayers were answered! So many prayers were answered! I am thankful for Divine intervention in my life and the details of these activities He orchestrated to have them work out beautifully! Thank you Father!
I need to thank so many - how will I ever? Every committee member! Wow! They are awesome! How to adequately thank them for hours and hours of time? I also need to thank all the Youth Council members who showed up and worked Friday night putting up chairs and tables, and those who came to help run the games on Saturday, and those who will show up in an hour to help again with chairs and ushering. I am thankful to know there are good kids out there who want to be involved in good activities! Thank you young people! You're amazing!
Miracles happen! Sad I loaded the camera, but learned early Saturday morning that our battery was completely dead. I understand some pictures taken by the American Legion are online already someplace. I'll post the link when I get it.
It's a Grand Old Flag! I love Bloomington residents who desire to make the world a great place and help by participating!