>> (MUSIC)
>>> WELCOME TO "AT ISSUE."
AS ALWAYS, WE THANK YOU FOR
JOINING US.
MY NAME IS H. WAYNE WILSON.
IN 2008, JUST THE ONE YEAR WHEN
THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN OCCURRED,
TOWNS IN RURAL AMERICA LOST
300,000 MANUFACTURING AND
PRODUCTION JOBS.
300,000, THAT'S NOT IN THE BIG
CITIES.
THAT'S NOT IN THE PEORIAS OR
BLOOMINGTONS, THAT'S IN RURAL
AMERICA IN ONE YEAR.
WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT SMALL
TOWNS AND VOLUNTEERISM AND HOW
THEY CAN TURN THINGS AROUND, AND
JOBS IS PART OF THAT PROBLEM,
BUT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THAT
CONVERSATION WITH FOUR MEMBERS
OF SMALL COMMUNITIES.
AND LET ME INTRODUCE THEM. FIRST
OF ALL, DIANE HAHN IS HERE.
DIANE IS A VOLUNTEER WHOSE
BUSINESS IS LOCATED IN MACKINAW.
ALTHOUGH I HAVE TO SAY YOU DON'T
LIVE IN MACKINAW, BUT YOUR HEART
IS IN MACKINAW.
>> I LIVE IN MACKINAW PART OF
THE TIME, AND I HAVE A PLACE
AWAY FROM THE BUSINESS,
TOO, SO.
>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US,
DIANE.
ALSO HERE IS TOM HAAS. TOM IS A
TREMONT VOLUNTEER. WE WILL BE
TALKING ABOUT THE TURKEY
FESTIVAL, OF COURSE, AND MUCH
MORE.
>> WITH US IS GLENN MILLER.
GLENN IS IN ROANOKE AND HE IS A
VOLUNTEER THE A THEIR FESTIVAL.
AND WE WILL TALK ABOUT THE
STRUGGLES THERE IN JUST A
MOMENT.
THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> ALSO WITH US IS ROLLEN
WRIGHT.
ROLLEN IS IN FARMINGTON.
SO WITH THE 300,000 LOST JOBS,
THAT MEANS THERE MIGHT NOT BE
AS MANY BUSINESSES IN, SAY,
FARMINGTON OR ROANOKE. DO YOU
SEE LACK OF JOBS AS HAVING AN
IMPACT ON VOLUNTEERISM IN YOUR
TOWN?
>> BIGGEST THING THAT I HAVE
OBSERVED, INSTEAD OF US HAVING
LOCAL BUSINESS AND INDIVIDUALS
IN TOWN, FARMINGTON HAS KIND OF
BECOME A BEDROOM COMMUNITY.
SO AT 6:30 IN THE MORNING, THERE
IS THIS MASS EXODUS.
THEY ARE ALL GOING TO PEORIA,
AND THEN THEY TEND TO COME BACK
HOME AT 6:00, AND THEN THEY ARE
BACK IN THE COMMUNITY.
>> SO WHAT KIND OF PROBLEMS DOES
THAT PRESENT TO YOU?
>> WELL, WE ALSO WERE A
VOLUNTEER FIRE PROTECTION AND A
RESCUE PROGRAM, AND IT MAKES IT
TOUGH FOR US TO FIND MEMBERS
THAT ARE IN TOWN DURING THE DAY
THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO MAKE THE
CALLS.
SO TOM IS SEEING THE SAME THING
IN TREMONT.
AS IS EVERY DEPARTMENT IN
CENTRAL ILLINOIS IS THE
DEDICATION FROM ITS MEMBERS TO
ATTEND.
>> AND YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE
VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.
>> I HAVE -- IN MY 36TH YEAR,
YES.
>> AND, TOM, YOU ARE A MEMBER OF
THE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT IN
TREMONT.
>> YES, SIR.
BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT FOR ABOUT NINE YEARS
NOW AND RESCUE SERVICES, THE
AMBULANCE FOR 15 YEARS.
>> SO DO YOU HAVE A SIMILAR
SITUATION AS YOU DO IN
FARMINGTON?
>> AS FAR AS VOLUNTEERS, I MEAN
I KNOW WE HAVE EXPERIENCED
SIMILAR SITUATIONS ACROSS THE
BOARD, WHETHER IT BE CIVIC
ORGANIZATIONS, WHETHER IT BE
EVEN SOME CHURCH VOLUNTEER
OPPORTUNITIES AND THE FIRE AND
RESCUE.
IT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO FIND
ENOUGH PEOPLE THAT YOU CAN FILL
ALL THE SLOTS THAT ARE
NECESSARY.
WE ARE STARTING TO SEE AN UPTICK
IN SOME OF THE SMALL BUSINESSES
MOVE INTO TREMONT WHICH HAS BEEN
GOOD.
BUT THAT'S STILL KIND OF IN ITS
INFANCY.
SO WE HAVE TO BACKFILL THOSE
RANKS ON THE RESCUE SQUAD, THE
FIRE DEPARTMENT, EVEN TURKEY
FESTIVAL COMMITTEES, THINGS LIKE
THAT.
WE ARE SEEING SIMILAR, HOPEFUL
FOR IMPROVEMENT.
>> IS THE -- WE HAVE BEEN
TALKING ABOUT FIRE DEPARTMENTS,
VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS, BUT
IS THIS TRUE ACROSS THE BOARD?
DO YOU SEE PROBLEMS IN ROANOKE
WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN
FINDING PEOPLE WHO HAVE TIME TO
DEDICATE TO VOLUNTEERISM?
>> YES.
ABSOLUTELY.
I FEEL THAT WE LIVE IN A VERY
BUSY SOCIETY.
AS YOU SAID, A LOT OF PEOPLE
TRAVEL FROM SMALL TOWNS INTO
YOUR CITIES, PEORIA,
BLOOMINGTON, ESPECIALLY LIVING
IN ROANOKE WHERE WE DO.
WE ARE KIND OF IN THE MIDDLE OF
PEORIA AND BLOOMINGTON.
SO A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE
THERE NOW, THEY LIVE THERE, TOO,
BECAUSE WE ARE CENTRAL.
THE HUSBAND MIGHT WORK IN
BLOOMINGTON.
THE WIFE MIGHT WORK IN PEORIA.
SO THEY BOTH MIGHT LEAVE IN THE
MORNING AND COME HOME AT NIGHT.
SO THEN THEIR CHILDREN HAVE
ACTIVITIES.
SO TO GET THEM TO VOLUNTEER INTO
SOMETHING EXTRA IS KIND OF A
HASSLE FOR THEM BECAUSE OF IT.
>> WHAT ABOUT KIDS?
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE HAVE SO
MANY EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
ASSOCIATED WITH SCHOOL THAT
DIDN'T EXIST AT LEAST WHEN I WAS
GROWING UP.
WE DIDN'T HAVE ATHLETICS IN
JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL.
WE DIDN'T HAVE TRAVELING TEAMS,
ET CETERA.
>> YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE IS
SUCH AN EMPHASIS ON SPORTS IN
OUR SOCIETY THROUGH THE SCHOOLS
AND EVEN THROUGH PRIVATE TEAMS.
WE HAD DISCUSSED EARLIER BEFORE
WE GOT HERE THE DIFFERENT
CHEERLEADING SQUADS AND ALL
KINDS OF OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT
KIDS ARE INVOLVED IN.
AGAIN, THAT ADDS TO THE TIME
COMPONENT OF PARENTS DON'T HAVE
ENOUGH TIME TO GO AROUND WHEN
WEEKEND COMMITMENTS OVERTAKE THE
WHOLE WEEKEND WITH HAVING THE
KIDS AT ALL THESE BALL GAMES OR
TRAVELING TEAMS OR DIFFERENT
THINGS.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT IS NOT JUST
BOTH PARENTS ARE WORKING AND
COMMUTING, BUT THEN THEIR
WEEKEND TIME IS VERY LIMITED TO
HELP OUT WITH VOLUNTEER
ACTIVITIES AND EVEN I THINK
CHURCHES ARE SUFFERING.
CHURCHES USED TO BE A BASTION OF
VOLUNTEERISM IN THEIR
COMMUNITIES, AND EVEN THEN THAT
HAS GOTTEN SUPERSEDED WITH SOME
OTHER THINGS GOING ON.
>>I THINK THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT
WANT TO VOLUNTEER IN THEIR
COMMUNITY, BUT BECAUSE THEY ARE
TORN SO MANY DIFFERENT AREAS
WITH CHILDREN AND JOBS, THEY
DON'T HAVE THE DEDICATION.
THEY DON'T GET HOW IMPORTANT IT
IS THAT THEY GIVE IT 110%.
I JUST DON'T SEE THAT.
>> OR THE LONG -- YOU KNOW,
LOOKING ON THE LONG VIEW OF IF
WE DON'T SUPPORT SOME OF THESE
THINGS.
YOU KNOW, ARE WE GOING TO HAVE
TO GO -- SMALL TOWNS HAVE ALWAYS
EXISTED ON VOLUNTEER FIRE AND
VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE SERVICE, ARE
WE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE THE
STATE FUNDING THAT SOON BECAUSE
SOON THERE IS NOT GOING TO BE
VOLUNTEERS.
I THINK MACKINAW AND PROBABLY
ALL THE TOWNS ACTUALLY, I MEAN
YOU HAVE A CORE OF PEOPLE THAT
ARE FARMERS THAT ARE DOING WORK
IN TOWN THAT MIGHT BE AVAILABLE
TO BE -- DURING THE DAY FOR
DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT THEN YOU
HAVE THE COMMUTERS TO STATE FARM
AND TO PEORIA TO DIFFERENT
HOSPITALS AND CAT AND OTHER
BUSINESSES.
SO HAVING THAT POOL OF PEOPLE
AROUND DURING THE DAY IS A
THINNING THING.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S A QUESTION THE
STATE IS GOING TO HAVE TO ANSWER
OR THE COMMUNITIES.
DO WE NEED TO PAY THESE PEOPLE
TO HAVE PEOPLE AVAILABLE TO
HELP?
WE ALL KNOW WHERE THE FUNDING IS
SO.
YOU KNOW, THAT MAKES IT EVEN
MORE, YOU KNOW, WE NEED SOME
CONSISTENCY.
>> LET'S TALK ABOUT FESTIVALS
BECAUSE COMMUNITIES, QUITE
OFTEN, ARE RECOGNIZED FOR
FESTIVALS.
AND MAY BE ONE OF THE MORE
FAMOUS ONES IS THE TREMONT
TURKEY FESTIVAL.
THAT ONE HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL FOR
HOW LONG, TOM?
>> I CAN'T BEGIN TO TELL YOU
WHEN IT WAS STARTED BECAUSE THAT
WAS BEFORE I GOT TO TOWN.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DO KNOW
IS IT WAS STARTED BECAUSE THEY
NEEDED TO COME UP WITH A WAY TO
PROVIDE SOME FUNDING FOR THE
PUBLIC POOL.
THAT REALLY GAVE THE COMMUNITY
AN OPPORTUNITY TO GATHER AROUND
ONE SOUL GOAL AND ONE SOUL FOCUS
AND REALLY PUT BACK WITH
VOLUNTEER HOURS, REINVESTING
THAT AS DOLLARS BACK INTO THE
COMMUNITY, AND IT HAS GROWN FROM
THAT POINT NOW TO WHERE THE
BETTERMENT ASSOCIATION WHICH IS
KIND OF THE GOVERNING BODY OF
DISBURSEMENTS OF FUNDS HAS
OPTIONS ACROSS THE GAMUT OF
WHERE SOME OF THOSE FUNDS CAN
GO.
THE POOL IS STILL A GOOD FOCUS.
BUT I KNOW THE AMBULANCE, OTHER
AGENCIES HAVE BENEFITED AS WELL.
>>SO IT IS NOT JUST THE
ENTHUSIASM AND VOLUNTEERING
BECAUSE IT PUTS TREMONT ON THE
MAP, BUT IT IS A FUNDRAISING
MECHANISM?
>>IT REALLY IS. KNOW IT HAS
BEEN.
I DON'T THINK THE GOAL IS TO PUT
TREMONT ON THE MAP.
I THINK THE GOAL IS TO BE ABLE
TO HAVE A FESTIVAL AND TO INVITE
PEOPLE TO TOWN, TO COME AND
SHARE AND ENJOY WHAT WE TAKE FOR
GRANTED SOMETIMES EVERY DAY
LIVING IN THE COMMUNITY TO OPEN
THOSE DOORS AND BRING PEOPLE IN
AND EXPERIENCE THAT AS OUR GUEST
FOR THE DAY.
>> TOM, DON'T YOU THINK, TOO, I
MEAN LIKE YOU WERE SAYING, THAT
FESTIVAL CERTAIN PUT THE FOCUS,
LET'S RALLY AROUND AND FUND THE
POOL BUILDING, AND I THINK
THAT'S THE REAL KEY THING I SEE
WITH VOLUNTEERS WHO, YOU KNOW,
WE FACILITATE THINGS AT THE
VINEYARD THERE, TOO, IT IS A
FOCUS EVERYBODY KNOWS WHY THEY
ARE DOING T IT IS NOT A BROAD
BRUSH OF WE WANT TO HELP THE
TOWN OR WE WANT TO DO THIS, WE
WANT TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL, AND
THAT TENDS TO, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE
CAN RALLY AROUND THAT, AND I
THINK THAT'S MAYBE PART OF THE
TREMONT SUCCESS IS EVERYBODY
KIND OF KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE
FOCUSING ON AND THEY TRUST THE
BETTERMENT ASSOCIATION TO
DISBURSE THE FUNDS AND HELP
EVERYBODY, NOT JUST FOCUS ON ONE
THING, YOU KNOW.
>>
>> I AGREE WITH THAT. I FEEL
LIKE WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY OF,
AND I WILL BE THE ONE TO SAY IT,
AS THE YOUNG PERSON, OF AWARDS,
AND SO PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO
MAYBE DO SOMETHING TO SEE A
BENEFIT OUT OF IT MORE THAN JUST
AN EVENT HAPPENING IN THE
COMMUNITY, BUT TO SEE THE POOL
OR TO SEE SOMETHING, YOU KNOW,
TAKE PLACE AFTERWARDS WITH THE
FUNDS THAT THEY HELPED RAISE.
I VOLUNTEER WITH EASTER SEALS AS
WELL AS I HAD MENTIONED EARLIER
IN OUR CONVERSATION, AND ONE WAY
THAT WE CAN GET VOLUNTEERS WITH
THAT IS, YOU KNOW, WE ALLOW THEM
TO REMAIN AT THE EVENT FOR, YOU
KNOW, AFTER THEIR SHIFT OR
SOMETHINGS OR WE DO A LITTLE
SOMETHING EXTRA FOR THEM AFTER
THEY VOLUNTEER.
THAT'S NOT EVERYBODY, BUT
ESPECIALLY THE YOUNG KIDS.
THAT'S A WAY WE CAN GET THE HIGH
SCHOOLERS TO COME AND KIND OF
HELP VOLUNTEER IS TO SAY IF YOU
COME AND HELP US OUT FOR A
COUPLE OF HOURS, YOU KNOW, WE
WILL GIVE YOU YOUR COMMUNITY
SERVICE HOURS FOR HIGH SCHOOL,
OR, YOU KNOW BEING WE WILL GIVE
YOU A FORM, SOMETHING OF THAT
SORT, SO THEY ARE COMING AND
THEY ARE GOING TO VOLUNTEER FOR
US, BUT WE ARE GOING TO FILL OUT
THEIR PAPER FOR THEM OR GIVE
THEM WHAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR.
>> GET SOMETHING OUT OF IT.
>> YES.
>> THEY ARE LOOKING FOR
RECOGNITION.
>> KIND OF.
>> I WANT TO POINT OUT WHEN I
TALKED TO TOM, AND I DID NOT
KNOW TOM BEFORE THE PROGRAM.
I CALLED HIM UP THROUGH SOME
OTHER PEOPLE WHO SAID "YOU NEED
TO TALK TO TOM," AND HE SAID "I
REALLY DON'T WANT TO GO ON THE
SHOW.
I DON'T WANT THE RECOGNITION."
HE IS JUST A VOLUNTEER.
HE AGREED TO COME ON THE PROGRAM
AFTER LEARNING THAT WE WEREN'T
GOING TO GIVE HIM RECOGNITION.
(LAUGHING) SO, WE ARE NOT GOING
TO RECOGNIZE YOU FOR YOUR
VOLUNTEERISM.
BUT IS THAT SOMETHING THAT IS
DIFFERENT THAT PEOPLE ARE
LOOKING FOR RECOGNITION, THE
YOUNG PEOPLE?
>> I DON'T KNOW IF I AM CAPABLE
OF PROVIDING A DIRECT ANSWER.
I WILL TRY TO KEEP MY PERSONAL
OPINIONS MAYBE OUT OF THE DIRECT
CONVERSATION, BUT I DO KNOW ONE
OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT
RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING WHEN WE
MET TONIGHT IS I DON'T THINK
PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHEN YOU ARE
GOING TO GET INVOLVED AS A
VOLUNTEER, THE LEVEL OF
COMMITMENT THAT IT MAY END UP
TAKING, AND SOME VOLUNTEER
OPPORTUNITIES ARE THE 4-H CLUB,
LET'S GRAB SOME GARBAGE BAGS,
LET'S GO HIT THE ROADSIDE AND
LET'S PICK UP TRASH FOR A MILE
AND TAKE THAT BACK.
WELL, THAT'S GREAT.
BECAUSE THE COMMITMENT LEVEL IS
LOW, AND YOU HAVE GOT ENERGY,
AND YOU CAN ENTHUSE THOSE KIDS
WITH THIS PROJECT.
BUT THERE ARE SOME VOLUNTEER
OPPORTUNITIES WHERE COMMITMENT
LEVEL IS INTENSE, AND IT MAY NOT
BE TEN MINUTES.
IT MAY BE TEN MONTHS.
WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE
FESTIVAL PLANNING, AND YOU TALK
ABOUT RESCUE CALLS.
YOU GO ON A RESCUE CALL.
IT IS NOT JUST A RESCUE CALL.
IT IS PREPARATION FOR THE CALL,
ALL THE FOLLOW-UP AND PAPERWORK
AFTERWARDS, AND I DON'T THINK --
I DON'T THINK PEOPLE CAN GET A
FULL UNDERSTANDING OF THE LEVEL
OF COMMITMENT THAT MAY BE
REQUIRED.
>> WE ARE REQUIRED BY THE SAME
REQUIREMENTS THAT PEORIA FIRE TO
RUN AMT. WE ARE ALL EMT'S, WE
ARE FIRST RESPONDERS. WE HAVE
GOT CONTINUING HOURS WE HAVE GOT
TO KEEP UP.
WE ARE REQUIRED THAT THE PAID
DEPARTMENTS ARE PAID TO TAKE
CARE OF DOING IT.
AND SO YOU ARE RIGHT.
THE HOURS THAT WE PUT IN ON A
FIRE OR RESCUE, IT ISN'T EVEN A
THIRD OF THE TIME WE PUT IN.
>> BUT THAT'S THE EXTREME OF
VOLUNTEERISM.
>> YES, IT IS.
>> YOU COULD HAVE VOLUNTEERISM
AT ANY LEVEL WITH, SAY, WHAT
USED TO BE THE ITALIAN FESTIVAL,
NOW IT IS SUMMER FEST.
BY THE WAY, WE WERE TALKING
ABOUT FESTIVALS AND WE GOT
SIDETRACKED.
BUT WHY THE CHANGE FROM ITALIAN
TO SUMMER?
>> WE SAW A DOWNTURN OF PEOPLE
ATTENDING THE ITALIAN FEST, AND
THERE WAS NO REAL WILLING TO
CHANGE IT.
SO THEY CREATED -- THEY CREATED
THE SUMMER FESTIVAL GROUP WHICH
IS A YOUNG GENERATION OF PEOPLE
TO MOVE IT FROM THE JACOBS PARK
TO THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
THEY ARE ALSO TRYING, LIKE ANY
FESTIVAL, THEY ARE TRYING TO
MAKE A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY ON
IT. THEY WOULD LIKE AT SOMETIME
TO HAVE A CARNIVAL ALONG WITH
IT, BUT THE COST ASSOCIATED,
THEY ARE WORKING ON IT.
AFTER THEIR INVOLVEMENT FOR TWO
TO THREE YEARS, THEY ARE TIRED
OF ALL THE WORK THEY HAVE PUT
INTO IT, AND THEY ARE READY TO
PASS THE TORCH.
AND TO TRY AND FIND SOMEBODY
THAT WANTS THAT TORCH.
WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE IN
FARMINGTON IN THE FIRST TWO
OCTOBER WEEKENDS IS SPOON RIVER
DRIVE.
WE WILL HAVE 30,000 PEOPLE INTO
FARMINGTON.
BUT YEARS AGO, IT WAS CHURCH
GROUPS.
IT WAS THE BOY SCOUTS, THE GIRL
SCOUTS, LOCAL BUSINESS THAT
MANNED ALL THE TENTS, AND THE
MONEY STAYED IN THE COMMUNITY.
BUT NOW IT HAS GOTTEN SO
COMMERCIAL WE HAVE A MASS
ENTRANCE OF RV'S AND CAMPERS
FROM WISCONSIN, MINNESOTA. THEY
ARE THE ONES THAT ARE RUNNING
THE TENTS.
THE PEOPLE IN TOWN DON'T DO IT
ANY MORE.
>> LOCAL CONTROL IS GONE.
IT IS GONE.
>> YOU MENTIONED THAT IT IS
DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN ENTHUSIASM
FOR ITALIAN FEST, NOW SUMMER
FEST.
YOU HAVE A SIMILAR SITUATION IN
ROANOKE.
>> CORRECT.
YES, WITH OUR FESTIVAL, I FEEL
THAT WE HOLD IT IN OUR BUSINESS
DISTRICT, AND IT IS KIND OF A
LITTLE BIT OF A NUISANCE FOR
SOME OF THE BUSINESSES IN THE
AREA.
SO I FEEL LIKE WE STRUGGLE TO
REALLY GET A GOOD COMMUNITY
SUPPORT THERE BECAUSE IT SHUTS
DOWN KIND OF THE HEART OF OUR
COMMUNITY FOR FOUR OR FIVE DAYS.
SO IT IS NOT TALKED ABOUT TO
BEGIN WITH ON A GOOD LEVEL FROM
SOME OF THE BUSINESS OWNERS.
SO THAT STARTS NEGATIVELY, AND
THEN IT JUST TRICKLES DOWN TO
COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
>> YOU ARE A BUSINESS OWNER.
>>YES.
>> YOU HAVE A FLORAL SHOP.
>>ABSOLUTELY.
>> WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON
IMPACT OF THE FESTIVAL?
>> I LOVE IT, AND SO DID THE
PREVIOUS OWNER OF THE SHOP.
IT IS A NUISANCE.
IT DEFINITELY SLOWS DOWN THE
FOOT TRAFFIC DURING THE DAY OF
THAT WEEK.
BUT ANYTHING FOR A SMALL
COMMUNITY THAT MIGHT BRING IN 30
NEW PEOPLE INTO THE COMMUNITY TO
SEE MY STORE FRONT IS WORTH IT
TO ME.
SO I VIEW IT AS A GREAT THING
BECAUSE I WANT TO SEE ANYTHING
HAPPEN IN THAT COMMUNITY THAT IS
GOING TO BRING SOMEBODY INTO
TOWN.
>> LET'S TALK ABOUT BUSINESS
INVOLVEMENT IN VOLUNTEERISM.
DIANE, YOU OWN MACKINAW VALLEY
VINEYARD.
>> YEAH, THE FAMILY.
>> THE FAMILY DOES.
I HAVE TO IMAGINE WHERE YOU ARE
LOCATED, YOU ARE PROBABLY
GETTING A LOT OF REQUESTS FOR
VOLUNTEER HELP.
>> WELL, WE HAVE -- YOU KNOW, IT
IS AN INTERESTING BUSINESS TO BE
IN BECAUSE WE DO WELL WITH IT,
BUT IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY
TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK THAT'S, YOU KNOW,
WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT
THESE OUT OF TOWN THINGS COMING
IN AND THE MONEY LEAVING THE
COMMUNITY.
SMALL BUSINESS IS THE HEART OF
ANY COMMUNITY AND OF THIS AREA.
>> DEFINITELY.
>> THE MONEY NEEDS TO STAY IN
THE COMMUNITY.
AND WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS, YOU
KNOW, HOPEFULLY BUILDING ON THE
SUCCESS AND THE WAY WE CAN, YOU
KNOW, USE THE BUSINESS TO HELP
OTHERS IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO
OUR PHILOSOPHY REALLY.
SO IT IS NICE THAT WE CAN --
LIKE AN EVENT COMING UP IS
SPECIAL OLYMPICS FOR THE AREA IS
GOING TO -- THEY ARE GOING TO
HAVE A LIP SYNC COMPETITION.
WE HAVE HAD A GROUP FROM PEORIA
CALLED METEC THAT DID A BIKE
RACE FOR SEVERAL YEARS, WHEN
SHERYL WAS IN CHARGE OF IT TO
RAISE FUNDS.
WE HAD THE LUTHERAN CHURCH
LADIES DOING A FUNDRAISING THING
IN OCTOBER.
BUT ALL THOSE THINGS WE TRY TO
AT NO COST TO THEM LET THEM USE
OUR FACILITY, USE OUR TABLES,
OUR CHAIRS, WHATEVER, SO THEY
CAN KEEP MORE OF WHAT THEY NEED
FOR THEIR ORGANIZATION.
OUR LION'S CLUB IN MACKINAW IS
GREAT.
THEY COME AND VOLUNTEER AT OUR
BIG EVENTS AND SELL CONCESSION
FOOD, AND THAT'S A GREAT
FUNDRAISER FOR THEM.
>> CAN IT BECOME A LITTLE
OVERWHELMING THOUGH? BECAUSE
YOU ARE RUNNING A BUSINESS.
>> IT IS A CHALLENGE. I WON'T
SAY IT ISN'T.
YOU HAVE TO FIND A BALANCE.
SO THERE IS ORGANIZATIONS WE DO
A LITTLE BIT MORE FUNDING WITH
AS FAR AS DONATING LARGER TICKET
ITEMS, BUT WE TRY TO GIVE
SOMETHING TO EVERYONE, EVEN
SMALL FUNDRAISERS FOR SCHOOLS OR
DIFFERENT SMALLER CHURCH GROUPS
IF WE GIVE A GIFT CERTIFICATE
AND A SET OF LOGO GLASSES OR
SOME KIND OF A THING TO SUPPORT
THEM.
WE ARE LITERALLY, WE ARE ABOUT
30 MINUTES FROM EVERYBODY IN
THIS AREA AND OUT ROUTE 9. WE
REACH PEKIN, LINCOLN,
BLOOMINGTON, NORMAL, PEORIA,
EAST PEORIA, WASHINGTON, MORTON,
EVERYBODY, YOU CAN THINK OF IF
IN THAT CIRCLE.
BUT IT IS A CHALLENGE, BUT WE
TRY TO MEET AND TRY TO HELP
DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY
BECAUSE IT IS, YOU KNOW, IT
IS -- AND I THINK IT IS LIKE YOU
SAID WITH YOUR SHOP, TOO, WE
MEET A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE
THROUGH THOSE CHARITY EVENTS
THAT WE WOULDN'T MEET OTHERWISE,
AND WE TRY TO BE A FAMILY
FRIENDLY PLACE AND A PLACE THAT,
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN COME OUT AND,
OF COURSE, HAVE A GLASS OF WINE,
BUT YOU CAN BRING YOUR FAMILY TO
A CONCERT OR BRING YOUR FAMILY
TO OUR GRAPE STOMP OR MURDER
MYSTERY, JUST SOMETHING FUN.
>>BUT YOU ARE ALSO A LOCAL
MERCHANT.
>> BUT WE ARE LOCAL, RIGHT.
>> AND THAT HELPS.
>>YEAH
>> YEAH.
>> LET'S TALK ABOUT LOCAL
MERCHANTS.
>> SURE.
>> ARE THERE MORE LOCAL
MERCHANTS THAN 20 YEARS AGO?
>> WITHOUT A DOUBT.
>> SO THERE IS MORE DEMAND ON
THOSE WHO REMAIN?
>> THAT STAY, AND HAVE ALSO GOT
ANOTHER DAY EVERY DAY THEY GET
OLDER, THEY ARE NOT WANTING TO
BE INVOLVED.
WE HAD SOME ISSUES IN OUR
DOWNTOWN WHERE A GOOD PORTION OF
THE STORE FRONTS WERE EMPTY.
WE INVOLVED WITH COMMUNITY
RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS FOLKS,
OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.
WE ALSO LOOKED THROUGH THE
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS EXTENSION
SERVICE.
WE REDID IN 2012 OUR
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
THIS TIME WE INVOLVED EVERYBODY
THAT HAS A STAKE IN THE
COMMUNITY, AND IT TOOK US A
LITTLE OVER A YEAR TO GET THAT
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DONE,
BUT WE MET ONCE A MONTH.
EVERYBODY WAS GIVEN A COMMITTEE
OR AN AREA TO RESEARCH
INFORMATION AND BRING BACK.
AT LEAST NOW EVERYBODY IN THE
COMMUNITY IS ALL ON SAME PAGE
AND HAS THE SAME WANTS AND
CHANGE THAT THEY'D LIKE TO SEE
DONE.
ONE THING THAT WE CREATED OUT OF
IT WAS A COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.
>> HAS THAT IMPROVED
VOLUNTEERISM AS A RESULT?
>> YES, IT HAS FOR THE
COMMUNITY, AS LONG AS THEY DON'T
GET BURNT OUT AT ALL THE HOURS.
>> TOM SHAKES HIS HEAD YES.
AS LONG AS THEY DON'T GET BURNED
OUT, AND HE IMMEDIATELY.
THAT -- A PROBLEM IN TREMONT?
>> I AM NOT GOING TO SAY IT IS A
PROBLEM.
BUT I UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT HE
IS SAYING.
WHEN YOU -- TREMONT HAS A
WINNING ORGANIZATION STARTED
BACK IN '07, AND IT WAS STARTED
BECAUSE THERE WERE CERTAIN NEEDS
THAT WERE NOT ABLE TO BE FILLED
BY SOME OF YOUR GOVERNMENT
AGENCIES, SOME OF YOUR FIRE
RESCUE, SOME OF THE EXISTING
ORGANIZATIONS THAT WERE IN
PLACE.
AND SOME OF THESE WERE --
ACTUALLY ALL OF THEM WERE A WAY
TO IMPROVE THE FACADE OF
TREMONT.
WHEN PEOPLE DRIVE THROUGH TOWN,
WHAT WAS IT THAT THEY SAW?
NOW THAT HAS EXPANDED SINCE THEN
TO BEING THE LIAISON, THE
FACILITATOR FOR ALL OF THE OTHER
CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS IN TOWN
BRINGING ON BOARD THE VILLAGE
GOVERNMENT, BEING INVOLVED WITH
THE LION'S CLUB, TURKEY FESTIVAL
COMMITTEE, BETTERMENT
ASSOCIATION, THE PARK DISTRICT,
POLICE, FIRE, RESCUE, YOUR
GARDEN CLUBS, YOUR LOCAL
LIBRARY, TO BE ABLE TO I GUESS
FUNCTION AS THE HUB OF THE WHEEL
SO THAT WHEN YOU HAVE A NEED FOR
A VOLUNTEER, SAY THE PARK
DISTRICT HAS GOT A TREE THAT
BLEW OVER IN THE STORM.
WELL, WE CAN REACH OUT TO THE
REST OF OUR CITIZENS AND SAY "WE
HAVE A NEED" THROUGH OUR
NEWSLETTER, "FOR VOLUNTEERS TO
COME IN," AND NOW WE CAN HAVE
SOME OF THE GARDEN CLUBS, SOME
OF THE LION'S CLUBS, SOME OF THE
4-H TO COME IN AND WORK TOGETHER
TO THAT ONE GOAL YOU HAD TALKED
ABOUT EARLIER.
>> WHEN THAT IN MIND, THE
WINNING COMMUNITIES IN THE FEW
MOMENTS WE HAVE LEFT, IF EACH OF
YOU COULD SPEND 30 SECONDS ON
YOUR BEST RECOMMENDATION WHAT
MIGHT IMPROVE VOLUNTEERISM IN A
SMALL COMMUNITY.
DIANE.
>>I THINK JUST, AGAIN, GET THE
INPUT OF THE WHOLE -- YOU KNOW,
GET THE INPUT OF THE COMMUNITY,
HOWEVER YOU CAN DO THAT, INVOLVE
THOSE -- TAKE THOSE OPINIONS TO
HEART AND COME UP WITH A PLAN
AND MAY BE THE FOCUS IS ONE
THING, AND IT IS NOT A BROAD
BRUSH, BUT IT IS THE ONE THING
EVERYBODY CAN GET BEHIND AND
FOCUS ON AND PUT THEIR TIME
TOWARD AND THEN MAKE IT A
REALISTIC GOAL THOUGH, SO
EVERYBODY CAN SEE SOMETHING
TANGIBLE THAT CAME OUT OF IT, IF
IT IS GOOD, EVEN IF IT IS A VERY
SMALL IMPROVEMENT TO THE TOWN
AND THEN BUILD ON THAT. I THINK
THAT'S KEY.
>> START SMALL.
>> START SMALL AND BUILD AND
FOCUS.
>> TOM.
>> TO ME, IT IS AN INDIVIDUAL
AND ACCOUNTABLE CALL TO ACTION.
IT HAS GOT TO START WITH THE
INDIVIDUAL.
YOU CANNOT WAIT FOR PROBLEMS TO
FIX THEMSELF FROM THE TOP DOWN.
YOU HAVE GOT TO START FROM THE
BOTTOM UP.
I MENTIONED A QUOTE EARLIER,
JOHN F. KENNEDY, ASK NOT WHAT
YOUR COUNTRY CAN DO FOR YOU, BUT
WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR
COUNTRY.
THAT GOES FOR YOUR CHURCH, YOUR
COMMUNITY, FOR YOUR PARK
DISTRICT, WHATEVER.
THE OTHER QUOTE I HAVE LIVED MY
LIFE BY, THE ONLY THING
NECESSARY FOR THE TRIUMPH OF
EVIL IS FOR GOOD MEN TO DO
NOTHING.
SO IT IS A CALL TO ACTION. IF
YOU CAN INSTILL THAT IN YOUR
KIDS AND JUST BRING YOUR FAMILY
TOGETHER TO FOCUS ON THOSE GOALS
AND IMPROVE THE COMMUNITY, BOTH
RESIDENTIAL AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT.
>> GLENN.
>> I AGREE.
WE JUST KIND OF HAVE TO SET
GOALS AND GIVE GOOD REASONS FOR
VOLUNTEERS TO COME FORWARD AND
MAKE THE GOALS KNOWN LIKE WE ARE
DOING IN ROANOKE. MEETING IN
AUGUST, OUR LAST CALL MEETING
FOR THE FESTIVAL.
FOR PEOPLE TO STEP FORWARD, WE
HAVE GIVEN THEM REASON TO STEP
UP AND VOLUNTEER AND HOPEFULLY
THAT BRINGS THEM OUT AND
WILLING.
>> THAT DATE IS AUGUST 28 FOR
VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN
HELPING MAINTAIN THE FESTIVAL IN
ROANOKE.
>> AND TO YOU, ROLLEN?
>> I WOULD NOT TAKE MY HAT OFF
TO PEORIA AND THE BIGGER
MUNICIPALITIES AROUND.
BUT I REMEMBER A TELEVISION SHOW
FROM WHEN I WAS A CHILD THAT WAS
MAYBERRY, AND IF WE CAN TURN OUR
COMMUNITIES BACK INTO MAYBERRY,
WHERE THE CHILDREN AND THE
FAMILY AND EVERYBODY CONTRIBUTE,
THAT WOULD BE A GOOD COMMUNITY
TO LIVE IN.
>> AND I WILL ADD ONE FINAL
NOTE.
GLENN LEARNED VOLUNTEERISM.
HE IS 24 YEARS OLD.
HE LEARNED VOLUNTEERISM FROM HIS
FAMILY.
>>YES.
>> WITH THAT, SAY THANK YOU TO
GLENN MILLER AND TO DIANE HAHN
FOR HELPING US IN THE
CONVERSATION ABOUT SMALL TOWN
VOLUNTEERISM, AND ALSO TO ROLLEN
WRIGHT AND TO TOM HAAS.
WE APPRECIATE IT.
BEST OF LUCK TO MACKINAW, TO
ROANOKE, TO TREMONT, AND TO
FARMINGTON.
AND WE WILL BE BACK NEXT TIME
WITH ANOTHER EDITION OF "AT
ISSUE."
JOIN US THEN.
(MUSIC)
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