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Naperville
Thursday, March 28, 2024

Cool, calm and collected kindness asks ‘Won’t You Be My Neighbor?’

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Back in 2011, Kindness in Naperville (KIN for short, mindful of family) was inspired by Bev Eigenberg, former owner/founder of Creative Nursery School, and her philosophy about teaching preschoolers. The KIN campaign became a grassroots initiative, complete with stickers, in support of promoting good-natured civility.


If you grew up watching Fred Rogers on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood (or viewed him regularly with your kids who preferred his gentle style more than the quick character action on Sesame Street), you likely looked forward to his neighborhood and the make believe he created every time his show was aired on PBS.

From 1968 to 2001, Rogers welcomed countless numbers of us, mostly young children, into his peaceful world of respect, acceptance and civility with lessons to learn.

The man behind Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood returns to life in a documentary released in June to select theaters, one of which is in Naperville’s backyard at Cantera. “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” is a heartfelt, sometimes humorous, tribute to the man who created jobs for a dedicated crew and affectionate actors. Along with his family, the folks involved with the production of his show help tell his life story.

Sometimes mocked (Television skits featuring Johnny Carson, Eddie Murphy and others provide memories and prompt some laughter.) Mister Rogers’ little corner of the world was a safe neighborhood where confrontations were addressed with kindness.

Mister Rogers’ entrance to his neighborhood was predictable. Even folks who didn’t watch the show regularly knew his routine.

He walked through the front door, took off his jacket, opened the closet to find a casual cardigan, put on the sweater, and opted to take off his loafers and change into his sneakers. He’d talk with Picture Picture, visit with a friend or neighbor and climb on a trolley with its distinctive “ding ding” to travel to the Neighborhood of Make-Believe. You’d never see Mister Rogers in the Neighborhood of Make Believe because he always wanted to appear real.

All that calm and recollection returns on the big screen in this documentary directed by Oscar-winning documentarian Morgan Neville. The film portrays the intelligence of Fred Rogers and his desire to connect and respect youngsters in their real world.

You’d never have known from watching Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood that he often expressed disdain for the medium that made him a household name by bringing him into your home. According to the many voices that spoke as the narrative for this feature film, including his wife Joanne Rogers, Fred Rogers was incensed by the programming on TV that portrayed kids as preferring to watch shows about throwing pies as well as gooey slim, insults and curses at each other.

The documentary “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” will take you on a memorable trolley ride, showcasing the real life you might not have known about a faithful and fun-loving man, who cared deeply and seriously about all the children in the world.

Using many clips from the archives of the show, viewers are reminded that Mister Rogers said, “Love is at the root of everything. All learning, all relationships. Love, or the lack of it.”

Remember “143”? If not, you’ll be reminded in the film.

My daughter and I found it hard to believe that it’s been 15 years since Rogers’ death from stomach cancer in 2003.

And 50 years after this gifted pianist, puppeteer, producer, children’s TV personality and Presbyterian minister introduced his neighborhood on a TV station in Pittsburgh; perhaps what he started in 1968 still is what we need today.

– Stephanie Penick, PN Publisher

(One more thing… If you become tearful during love stories, you might want to have a Kleenex handy.)

Enjoy a peaceful walk along the Riverwalk with your family and find “What We Need.” The stone marker is located along the DuPage River, just beyond the Visitors Center (former Netzley House) and the footbridge that leads to Centennial Park and Centennial Beach.

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PN Editor
PN Editor
An editor is someone who prepares content for publishing. It entered English, the American Language, via French. Its modern sense for newspapers has been around since about 1800.

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