East Dundee resident brought fun to the village

When West Dundee resident Jill Harris browsed through the village's calendar of events earlier this year, she noticed the dates were largely blank except for the village's staples like Heritage Fest and Dickens in Dundee.

Like many people, Harris wanted something to do while staying close to home, except there were not too many options. The lack of cheap local activities for families prompted Harris to organize six events throughout the summer and ended with a Halloween party.

"I felt like the town needed a boost," Harris said. "The economy was so bad and I was down so I thought maybe everyone else is down, too. We really needed a pick-me-up and that's why I started these events."

While village leaders and residents praised Harris for her commitment to the village, the mother of two said the events would not have been a success without the help of her husband, Duane, and the support of her family.

"I have to be thankful for my husband and family for being so supportive in all of these things that I came up with," said Harris, who organized a massive water balloon fight in Grafelman Park, a dog show and a kite flying day.

"They were there to help and pitch in. I am also thankful for the village for letting me step forward and running with my ideas."

The village acknowledged Harris' hard work by inviting her family to serve as grand marshals for the Dickens in Dundee parade on Saturday, Dec. 5.

"Julie's level of enthusiasm and sense of community is something this village hasn't seen in a number of years," Village Manager Joe Cavallaro said. "The events were a minimal cost and very community-oriented."

"When you have people like Jill, you want to reward and encourage them."