Volunteers sought for Gilberts Community Days

Gilberts trustees are looking for volunteers to make their Community Days summer festival as successful as it was last year.

They have estimated that they will need 30 volunteers, the same number they had last year, to wipe tables and collect trash, said village clerk Debra Meadows.

"The volunteers will work two-and-a-half-hour shifts," she said. "We hope to have enough to keep up with the crowds."

And with enough volunteers, those crowds will sit at clean tables in a debris-free setting.

Hundreds of residents and their neighbors attended last year's four-day festival even though it was hot and uncomfortable. When this year's party runs, from May 31 to June 3, organizers are hoping for the same enthusiastic turnout.

This will be the second year Gilberts trustees host the festival, a traditionally popular event before it went on hiatus for a couple of years. As with last year, many of the events in Town Center Park will be geared for families who want to listen to music, ride amusement rides, have their faces painted and eat hot dogs and popcorn.

Community Days is funded by donations from local businesses and residents. No public funds are spent, Meadows said. It does not yet mirror the scope of previous festivals, which included fireworks and a parade, but if its popularity and support continue, more attractions will be added to the agenda, Meadows said.

And that will mean the need for more volunteers and sponsors. For now though, Community Days is the right size and gives residents a taste of a summer party, she said.

To volunteer, call Meadows at the Gilberts village hall at (847) 428- 286l. And to learn more about Community Days visit the village's website at villageofgilberts.com.