St. Charles gears up for big birthday bash

When your city is about to celebrate its 175th birthday, as St. Charles will in 2009, it stands to reason that trying to decide just how to commemorate that milestone could be a giant task.

That's what a large committee of city business leaders and residents found out during the past year and a half. The main lesson was that a large committee contemplating large events might not be as effective as a smaller committee coordinating smaller events.

"I believe everyone is finding that the smaller committee, made up of the city historic preservation commission, the Downtown Partnership, and the Visitors Bureau, is a better way to get things accomplished in a more timely manner," said Patty Thayer, who has worked on history projects for the St. Charles Heritage Center.

Thayer said the general rule of thumb for 2009 is that all of the organizations that normally conduct programs or events during the year will do so with the 175th birthday as a central theme.

"The plan is to tie-in with the 175th, but also promote the events together," Thayer said.

Other than each organization's own events, two community events specific to the city's milestone year are being planned - one being a kickoff event Feb. 21 at the Baker Community Center, and the other a community picnic in August at the county fairgrounds.

Storing those memories: A donation to the St. Charles Heritage Center and Museum will get you a page in the city's history these days.

As part of the city's 175th birthday, the Heritage Center is creating an electronic scrapbook of the city's year-by-year history since 1834.

But area business owners and residents can be part of this scrapbook by purchasing a year in the book for $175. For example, if a family moved to St. Charles in 1968 and wanted to commemorate that event, they could purchase a portion of the 1968 page and provide family information. The same would hold true for business owners wanting to commemorate the year they opened shop in St. Charles.

"People would purchase the year that was significant to them," said Thayer who has worked on the scrapbook project with fundraising Chairman Brian Henry. "It might be the birth of kids, or any other major anniversary or event."

Thayer said families could purchase a second year for $125 and subsequent years for $75 so as to have a spot in the history scrapbook for all the children.

"This project is really localized," Thayer said. "It is all of the local history and all of the money stays local."

Thayer said the electronic version of the history book is to keep it available for easy access, but it can be printed out in publication form and might eventually become a booklet available at the Heritage Center.

Information is available at (630) 584-6967.

Warm weather helps: Even though holiday events are considered part of the winter season here, it definitely helps to stage one when the weather is nice.

Proof is in the results of the St. Charles Electric Christmas Parade last weekend. Downtown Partnership planners said it was a record turnout of some 15,000 people for this year's event, which just happened to fall on a Saturday night that was mild by November standards and luckily was held one day before the weather turned, as usual, rather miserable around here.

The Partnership once again did a terrific job in promoting this event, which has become another holiday favorite and Christmas season tradition.

A waste of waste: With the holidays upon us - with all of the boxes, wrapping paper and packaging materials - it's going to be a heavy time for recycling.

But it makes you wonder if there really is a place for recycled material in a struggling economy.

Fred Rosenthal, a waste and recycling consultant in St. Charles, says it is a tough time for the recycling industry as well.

"The economic downturn has dumped an unfortunate problem on the recycling market across the United States," Rosenthal said. "There is no longer a market for some recycled materials, and there is such a tremendous glut of paper and cardboard on the market that recyclers are unable to find end markets for it."

Even though the market is thin for all recycled materials, Rosenthal sees it all rebounding in the coming months as the economy begins to heal.

Just like wine: Are the Misty River Music Makers of Geneva really improving with age?

One might draw that conclusion after our local ladies' barbershop quartet and Capella chorus recently earned the Most Improved Chorus honor at the Harmony, Inc. International Contest in Appleton, Wis.

These ladies are always on the lookout for any new members. Their pitch is simple. If you love to sing and perform, contact Donna Pelletier at (630) 673-0800. Regular rehearsals resume Jan. 5 and are held most Mondays in the Wheeler Room at the Park National Bank in Geneva.

dheun@sbcglobal.net