This is a station editorial, I'm Randal J. Miller, station president.
I'm recording this editorial at the 36th annual Greater Taylorville Chamber of Commerce Chillifest, which took place October 2nd and 3rd on the Taylorville square. Despite off and on rain October 2nd, hundreds of people came for 2 days of arts and crafts vendors, a great Kidzone for children, and International Chilli Society sanctioned chilli cookoffs with cooks from 8 states participating.
Another great event attracted thousands of people to another community our radio group serves. September 25th and 26th saw a record number of people come to Clinton for the annual Apple and Pork Festival.
Both events were extensively covered by our group's radio stations in each community.
In this editorial, I want to recognize the hundreds of volunteers that made each event happen.
In the case of the Clinton Apple and Pork Festival, it's been over 50 years of folks stepping up and creating, then doing the work to make the Festival happen. It's been a fund-raiser for the C-H Moore Homestead, but more important than that, it continues to be an important source of revenue for the many non-profits that man booths on the Museum grounds, and even more important, an economic driver that attracts thousands to Clinton.
In the case of the Greater Taylorville Chamber Chillifest, it also was created by a couple of people in 1986 that wanted a replacement for the long-time Soybean Festival on the Taylorville square. The Chamber took the challenge, and with the help of hundreds of volunteers over the years, has continued for some 36 years including October 2nd and 3rd. It also attracts people from all over Central Illinois and this year, chilli cooks from 8 different states.
We salute all the volunteers that make both events, and many others across both of our clusters' coverage areas, happen each year. It's the work of those volunteers that help attract people to our communities to enjoy our hometowns and all they have to offer.
That's our opinion, we welcome yours. Our e-mail address is editorial@randyradio.com.
