Bravo to those who make their own fun

Remember the old days when, with something as simple as a piece of chalk and an old bedsheet, you could invent any number of games and activities to keep you busy during the summer?

West Dundee resident Jill Harris apparently does. Jill, who is 46, wanted to get her mind and help neighbors get their minds off troubles and back to enjoying life.

By inventing her own fun.

"I thought about how everything we do costs money and it seems like everything is being cut because they cost money," she told staff writer Larissa Chinwah this week. "Everyone - towns, states, villages - are all tightening their belts. I want to take people's minds off the economy and get families to come out and relieve some stress for something everyone can afford: one canned food item."

Indeed, municipalities all over the suburbs facing declining revenue have cut back on fireworks or festivals. Elgin has scrapped its participation in the Fox River Festival of Balloons, canceled Rib Fest entirely, grounded its Fourth of July fireworks and consolidated its three-day signature FoxFireFest into two days, charging admission for the first time and reducing its main act from Blues Traveler to a Creedence cover band.

Wheeling is cutting back. As is Gurnee. Lisle's massive Eyes to the Skies festival will go from four days to 2 1/2. And while Des Plaines is keeping its Fourth of July fireworks, it's scrimping on the parade and Taste of Des Plaines.

These are tough times, and we've advocated in this space that towns and fundraising organizations not abandon fun altogether. And that we, as members of society, not close our wallets.

We all need a break from the reality of this economy once in a while.

But with many of towns cutting employees and freezing pay, as St. Charles did this week with its firefighters union, leaders say it would be incongruous to worry much about having fun.

If you've already canceled the summer trip to Disney with the kids in favor of a staycation that involves festival hopping, you may not have quite the same opportunities as last year.

Which leaves the fun to us.

Back to Jill.

She came up with and organized a half-dozen events through summer and into fall - good old-fashioned stuff like dog tricks and contests, bocce and volleyball tournaments, a water balloon fight, a camera shoot-off and pumpkin carving.

Yep, the same kinds of things people did in years past, before we became slaves to computers. When you just grabbed what was handy and had fun with it. Where neighbors interacted with each other regularly.

The only thing Harris asks is that you donate a canned food item to benefit the FISH food pantry in Carpentersville.

Bravo, Jill. Are there more out there like you?