July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Committee should be praised
Editor's Mailbag
By To the editor:-
I am writing this letter about an article in the Dunkirk News and Sun where Mayor Sam Hubbard is discussing a request made by a downtown business wishing to set up a tent outside their establishment selling alcohol and food through the annual Glass Days fair.
He states that the Glass Days Committee simply “passed the buck” on this matter.
I have seen first hand the work this committee has done over several years and feel like there are things that were left out of what you should know.
This business is located on Commerce Street, a side street off of Main Street, the festival’s midway.
The committee has never been able to do anything with the side roads except keep them clear for emergency response vehicles. The committee does not have the right to issue these spots as a set up for anything other than parking which is why this business was instructed to go to the council, and the Mayor of the community cause they could not grant them permission to do this.
They did not pass the buck.
They directed them to the place to get their answer.
This year will mark 38 years of the Annual Glass Days festival. The people who rent the spots on the midway and donations from community businesses fund the advertisement, entertainment, and necessities for this festival.
If you allow businesses to set up all down the side roads why even have the midway? Also, the business will feel like since they are not on the midway they do not owe for their spot. Alcohol is already available in several establishments, is it necessary to sell it on the street?
Who will be handling the issues that may arise from people who think that it is O.K. to carry their alcoholic beverage down the midway and the pick-up of broken glass?
The committee has enough on their “to do list” just keeping the festival going and under control. This group of people put in countless hours of hard work to bring this festival to town every year.
They work year round setting up concerts, providing rides, getting prizes and donations.
They start as early as January trying to convince vendors to come from all over and provide you with goodies to buy and eat. Preparation for the extra stuff like the cruise-in, tours and parade begin months in advance as well. They walk the fair from open to close every night making sure that you and the children of this community have a safe and exciting experience. They get called names for asking you to remove your pet or your bicycle out of respect for others. Cleaning up after those of us who have yet to figure out what the giant trash cans are really for.
They do not get paid nor do they ask for anything more than a thank you and it is a shame that the volunteers of this community do not get the respect they deserve. The only time you hear about what they do is when something goes wrong.
From the mayor, I would have expected a little more when it comes to a group of people doing a job for your community.
They deserve praise and thanks for loving this little town of Dunkirk enough to devote the time it takes to do something like this. Not to mention that several of the committee members serve on many boards and committees for the city.
As time approaches for the fair to come to town and you think about how inconvenienced you are for the road blocks or how angry you are that you could not walk your dog through the midway, remember the time that these volunteers have put in to it.
Think about that bus of people who traveled many miles for the tour of the glass museum or the Saint Gobain factory. Think about the shouts of fear coming from the rides and the youngsters who gather candy at the parade like it’s a million bucks. Think about the laughter of the kids getting soaked during the fireman’s water ball fight and only in Dunkirk would it be fun to spend hours watching an oxen walk around waiting for his package to drop.
I, for one, am proud and very thankful for each one and their part in making so many wonderful memories for so many wonderful people!
Cindy Shepherd
Redkey
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He states that the Glass Days Committee simply “passed the buck” on this matter.
I have seen first hand the work this committee has done over several years and feel like there are things that were left out of what you should know.
This business is located on Commerce Street, a side street off of Main Street, the festival’s midway.
The committee has never been able to do anything with the side roads except keep them clear for emergency response vehicles. The committee does not have the right to issue these spots as a set up for anything other than parking which is why this business was instructed to go to the council, and the Mayor of the community cause they could not grant them permission to do this.
They did not pass the buck.
They directed them to the place to get their answer.
This year will mark 38 years of the Annual Glass Days festival. The people who rent the spots on the midway and donations from community businesses fund the advertisement, entertainment, and necessities for this festival.
If you allow businesses to set up all down the side roads why even have the midway? Also, the business will feel like since they are not on the midway they do not owe for their spot. Alcohol is already available in several establishments, is it necessary to sell it on the street?
Who will be handling the issues that may arise from people who think that it is O.K. to carry their alcoholic beverage down the midway and the pick-up of broken glass?
The committee has enough on their “to do list” just keeping the festival going and under control. This group of people put in countless hours of hard work to bring this festival to town every year.
They work year round setting up concerts, providing rides, getting prizes and donations.
They start as early as January trying to convince vendors to come from all over and provide you with goodies to buy and eat. Preparation for the extra stuff like the cruise-in, tours and parade begin months in advance as well. They walk the fair from open to close every night making sure that you and the children of this community have a safe and exciting experience. They get called names for asking you to remove your pet or your bicycle out of respect for others. Cleaning up after those of us who have yet to figure out what the giant trash cans are really for.
They do not get paid nor do they ask for anything more than a thank you and it is a shame that the volunteers of this community do not get the respect they deserve. The only time you hear about what they do is when something goes wrong.
From the mayor, I would have expected a little more when it comes to a group of people doing a job for your community.
They deserve praise and thanks for loving this little town of Dunkirk enough to devote the time it takes to do something like this. Not to mention that several of the committee members serve on many boards and committees for the city.
As time approaches for the fair to come to town and you think about how inconvenienced you are for the road blocks or how angry you are that you could not walk your dog through the midway, remember the time that these volunteers have put in to it.
Think about that bus of people who traveled many miles for the tour of the glass museum or the Saint Gobain factory. Think about the shouts of fear coming from the rides and the youngsters who gather candy at the parade like it’s a million bucks. Think about the laughter of the kids getting soaked during the fireman’s water ball fight and only in Dunkirk would it be fun to spend hours watching an oxen walk around waiting for his package to drop.
I, for one, am proud and very thankful for each one and their part in making so many wonderful memories for so many wonderful people!
Cindy Shepherd
Redkey
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