Business owners team up to make video showing best of Wauconda
Wauconda business owners Sara Carlson and Randy Koch were laughing about the ridiculously popular “Harlem Shake” viral videos a few weeks ago when they had a creative brainstorm.
They could make their own video. About Wauconda. And it could feature the town's residents and merchants.
“We thought it would be fun,” Carlson explained. “And (when) we get an idea in our head, bam, bam — we do it.”
Next weekend, Carlson Koch and videographer Christina Newsom will take to the village's streets for the project.
Instead of the infectious dance tune that's the soundtrack to the silly “Harlem Shake” videos, Carlson and Koch will use Bon Jovi's “I Love This Town” as their musical backdrop.
The song reflects the duo's feelings for Wauconda.
“I think that's the bottom line — we all love this town,” Carlson said. “Why wouldn't we want to promote that and share that?”
Carlson, 38, lives near Mundelein and owns Aspire Boutique at 118 S. Main St. in downtown Wauconda. Koch, 39, is a Wauconda resident who runs Red Eye Management, a talent booking company.
As they explained at a village board meeting earlier this week, they were partially inspired by divisiveness caused by the recent municipal election and the community outrage over new Mayor Frank Bart's decision to jettison Police Chief Douglas Larsson.
The video won't be political, “but it is a direct response to that,” Koch told the Daily Herald.
“The intention of the video is to focus on all the positive things of this town,” Koch added.
Carlson, Koch and Newsom plan to film primary sequences at Bangs Lake, the upcoming Wauconda Fest and on the Millennium Trail.
Those sites were chosen because they're key tourist destinations in Wauconda — but people driving through the community on Route 12 might not know about them, Koch said. They're also shooting early Saturday, June 29, on Main Street, and they hope to get a big crowd.
“It's a long street. We have a lot of space to fill,” Carlson said.
The road will be closed between Route 176 and village hall from about 6:45 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. Anyone can participate, but they're especially looking for groups, such as Scout troops, school bands or uniformed athletic teams.
“And not just kids,” Carlson said.
Carlson and Koch hope to release the video on YouTube in mid-July. They'll also give a copy to village officials for use on the town's website, Wauconda-il.gov.
No one is directly profiting from the video, Carlson said.
“It's going to be great promotion for the town,” she said.
The project has the support of Wauconda Trustee Chuck Black and others on the board.
“I just think it's great,” Black said. “It's another example of Main Street and Wauconda pitching in ... and doing something good for the community.”