Cooperation builds community of hope

What a weekend.

The River 2 River Car Cruise kicked off Friday. So did Heritage Days.

Saturday saw the continuation of the Rendezvous at Heritage Days, and the River 2 River Car Show. Sunday brought the full-scale Civil War reenactment and the “Keep the Dream Alive” gathering at Kiwanis Park.

There was much to do in Galesburg and — save the nominal $2 fee for Saturday’s car show in Lowe’s parking lot — it all cost nothing. Not a penny.

As I drove around a Lake Storey framed by Monday morning’s brilliant blue skies, my thoughts turned to the many challenges our community faces. Then I thought about all Galesburg has to offer and all upon which we can build.

And I was struck by comments made by both the organizers of Heritage Days and the River 2 River Car Cruise.

But before I wandered too far in my own mind, I was struck by what wasn’t present at Lake Storey:

Not a scrap of garbage. No overflowing garbage cans. No tell-tale piles of plastic bottles or sacks from local fast-food restaurants.

I was out at Lake Storey on Saturday and Sunday. I saw all the visitors — and the multitude of vehicles that carried them to the annual dual event. I couldn’t believe how small a footprint the weekend’s activities left behind.

“We always try to leave the places we stay better than how we found it,” Lisa Bernhart said Monday as she worked to take down her Rendezvous encampment.

Bernhart, the secretary and treasurer for Galesburg Heritage Days, explained one of the ways the Rendezvous and Civil War reenactors keep the camps clean.

“We have a Cub Scout troop that comes in the Monday before Heritage Days starts and walks through,” Bernhart said. “And then they will be here this (Monday) evening for another walk-through.

“The Cub Scouts really help us keep all the areas clean.”

Then Bernhart told me something that rang a bell.

“Without our sponsors, none of this would be possible,” she said. “And we can’t thank the city’s Parks Department enough. The city is really welcoming and the Park Department really helps us out.

“We work together and we work hard to make sure Lake Storey’s grounds are cleaner than when we came here.”

Those were almost the exact words spoken by Kenton Brooks of the New Limited Rods of Western Illinois club — the organizers of the River 2 River Car Cruise.

“Our sponsors do a lot to make this happen,” Brooks said. “And we have to thank the city of Galesburg. Those folks do so much to help make this happen.

“This is a big challenge and we couldn’t do without the city of Galesburg.”

Heritage Days has over 50 sponsors. The River 2 River Car Cruise has 64 sponsors. That’s impressive.

What’s more impressive, for me, is to hear such rave reviews of the city administration and departments that make it possible for not only the execution of two big events, but big events held during the same weekend.

While our public entities came through in a big way this weekend, so too did private entities. Lighthouse Baptist Church hosted “Keep the Dream Alive” in Kiwanis Park, an annual get-together to support the community and promote fellowship, as well as cut hair and help families with needed school supplies and clothes.

That event was packed and the folks at Kiwanis Park wore smiles all afternoon.

At the risk of sounding like the proverbial cheerleader, I drove around our town framed by Monday morning’s brilliant blue skies and I felt good.

I felt hope.  

Tom Loewy: (309) 343-7181, ext. 256; tloewy@register-mail.com; @tomloewy