BUILD TOMORROW
buimorrow
Build Tomorrow. A Legacy Dedication. June 23, 2011. 5:30-8:30pm
Things will be sizzling and swinging at the Champaign 150th Unity Celebration, Thursday, June 23, 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM. Come enjoy a barbeque at the Boneyard to conclude Champaign’s Sesquicentennial Anniversary! Held at the corner of Second St. and Springfield Ave., the evening will feature food, games, entertainment, a 150-year anniversary time capsule commemoration and a salute to the Boneyard Second Street Basin completion.
Mayor Don Gerard and former Champaign mayors invite the community to eat, to swing to the beat and to celebrate the community’s rich diversity in this wonderful new public space. We’ll also take this time to snap a commemorative community photo and want you and your family to be included!
Come be a part of this Champaign unity celebration as we look to build a great future for tomorrow!
Mark It on Your Calendar! All Free! Food… Fun… Entertainment…
Champaign 150th Entertainment Line-Up:
*click-on group name for band information*
Enjoy these 2011 International Blues Challenge finalists.
Nathaniel & Friends
Relax to the rhythms of this jazz sextet.
Appreciate area youth showcasing Chinese folk dance, “Xin Jiang Wu”.
Rocky Maffit and Kate Kuper The Rhythm is You!
Enjoy the world of rhythm and language with world percussionist Rocky Maffit and dancer Kate Kuper.
Take in the sounds of this six piece ensemble playing a combination of Samba, Bossa Nova, and MPB.
WHAT: Champaign 150th Unity Celebration
A Barbeque at the Boneyard encouraging all community members to close out Champaign’s Sesquicentennial Anniversary with a flourish!
Delicious BBQ and fixings’ free for the first 1,000 visitors.
WHEN: Thursday, June 23, 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM
WHERE: Corner of Second St. and Springfield Ave.
5:40 PM: Dedication Ceremony
Dedication of the new Boneyard Creek Second Street Basin, Burnham Archway, and 150th Time Capsule Site
6:10 PM: Community Wide Commemorative Photo
Bring your friends to capture this unifying moment in time in one commemorative group photo by photographer Brad LaPayne.
6:30 PM: Champaign 150th Entertainment Venue
*RSVP’s appreciated to champaign150@ci.champaign.il.us
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Champaign 150th Legacy Ceremony
Plans are being made to coordinate the closing 150th ceremony with the community dedication of the Boneyard Second Street Basin project. As the major public improvement effort constructed during the sesquicentennial year, the Second Street Reach project is the signature example of the City’s efforts to “Build Tomorrow.” While this project was undertaken to solve long term flooding problems, the result has been a transformative green space that promises to redefine one of Champaign’s earliest neighborhoods and the entire center city.
The 150th time capsule will be buried on the west side of the Stone Arch Bridge, surrounded by a flower garden and marked by a unique 150th plaque. It’s placement near the historic Stone Arch bridge allows the community to connect one of the few remaining structures built the year of our incorporation with today’s celebration. Time capsule contents will include items such as historical newspaper clippings, maps, letters, Champaign 150th commemorative coins and marketing items, a bounded “Letters to the Future” book, along with 150th photos and video footage. The celebration will be open to the public, with special invitations provided to the many sponsors and volunteers who have contributed to the 150th Anniversary.
Illinois Pioneers – Champaign @ 150. WILLTV/Illinois Public Media has lead the production of a 13-part television series, “Illinois Pioneers—Champaign @150”, telling the stories of innovative and pioneering people and events that have shaped the City of Champaign over our 150 year history. Each month WILL TV has produced a new segment of “Illinois Pioneers”, expanding from March 2010 to April 2011. The segments have included such topics as the Illinois Central Railroad, Champaign Schools, Parkland College and African American Leaders in Champaign. Special guests have lent their knowledge of Champaign history, adding to the segments impression. The rights for reuse and rebroadcast will be granted to the City at the conclusion of the Celebration year. In addition, a DVD of the series will be made available as commemoratives to 150th donors and used in WILL pledge campaigns to continue to share Champaign’s rich history
Letters to the Future: 2060. To further engage the community in the sharing of Champaign history, the 150th Committee requested residents to make personal statements about their lives, histories, and attraction to Champaign, via the “Letters to the Future: 2060” project.
As one of the final salutes to Champaign’s 150th Anniversary, citizens of all ages were invited to write a letter (directed to residents living in Champaign in the year 2060), sharing personal reflections of life in Champaign as well as hopes and dreams for the next 50 years to come. The letters were asked to center around one or all three focus points of: personal ties to Champaign; a description of life in Champaign today; and hopes or dreams for Champaign’s future. To date, over 300 letters have been submitted, with a strong response from Champaign youth who took part in the project by way of their school classroom. Each student within the classes that submitted letters will receive a personalized certificate of participation, presented by Mayor Schweighart.
WILL Youth Media Workshop Oral History Project. To further engage youth in “Build Tomorrow”, the 150th Committee partnered with WILL’s Youth Media Project to produce a multimedia presentation featuring a diverse group of Champaign pioneers. Producing the project is 14-year old Jefferson Middle School student Sonie Toe and Urbana High School senior Gabby Parsons. The interviews highlight citizens’ personal reflections of life in Champaign and will be collected into a special presentation to be shown at the Legacy Dedication Ceremony. Interviewees thus far include: Ernie Westfield, George Chin, Sylvia Ronsvalle, Erma Bridgewater, Mayor Jerry Schweighart, Robert Toalson, Larry Kanfer and Alison Krauss.
Champaign 150th Youth Art Contest
An essential focus on the future generations of Champaign is especially being featured into the closing celebration activities. In partnership with Unit 4 Schools, Champaign youth grades Pre-K to 12 were encouraged to submit an art entry that spoke to the celebration’s theme of “Honor Yesterday. Celebrate Today. Build Tomorrow.” Nearly 50 pieces of artwork were entered into the contest, reflecting creative interpretations of the City’s legacy.
Artwork is judged in for age divisions and winners in each category will receive a $50 savings bond. The grand prize winner will receive a $100 savings bond and their artwork featured on a community billboard, sponsored in part by Adam’s Outdoors. An art reception for youth and their families will be held March 3, 2011 to announce the winners. The artwork will be on display February 25-March 18 at the Springer Cultural Center in Champaign.