When I flipped my AT-A-GLANCE calendar to March, my thoughts again raced back to bright blue sky on New Year’s Day 1993. That’s when my cousin, Candyce Krumwiede, welcomed my first visit to Naperville, a time I’d arrived from our home in New Jersey to look here for a new home for our family of five.
Long story short, during the mid-1980s every time we attended a Mitchell family reunion at Candyce’s mother’s lake house near Indiana Beach, she insisted we visit Naperville. She knew I’d begun investigating communities with good schools in the Midwest with hopes our family could move from back East to be closer to my folks in Muncie, Ind. And Naperville kept rising to the top of the pile of correspondence stacked on our dining room table.
By March 3, 1993, our three children were enrolled in District 204 schools. Soon after, they were taking piano lessons at North Central College. Our two sons were enrolled in spring baseball.
When one of my new neighbors learned about my passion for local culture and history, she urged me to apply for a part time PR job at Naper Settlement. I wasn’t looking for a job, but I wanted to respect my neighbor’s suggestion. So I applied. To my surprise, I was offered a job and I accepted. And that’s where I met many of Naperville’s most interesting people—past and present.
After 18 months I left the outdoor history museum to assist small local businesses with their marketing.
More than a few times, I’ve mentioned meeting Riverwalk Commission Chairman Cliff Preston at church. Cliff encouraged my serving on the Riverwalk 2000 committee co-chaired by volunteers Ed Channell and Glen Ekey. Success of Riverwalk 2000 fundraising led to the completion of the Riverwalk extension from Washington to Hillside, followed by development of Fredenhagen Park.
From there to here and there!
Then one day in 1998, I received a call from Bob Smith, then-DuPage editor at the Daily Herald. Bob asked if I’d be interested in writing a weekly column called “Around Naperville” in the Neighbor section. I thought, “Sure. Why not?”
That’s when faxes (Remember them?) and phone calls (Remember them?) with tips about upcoming events began bombarding me.
In no time, I recognized more local ink (the kind that comes in colors and big buckets for printed pages) could help promote good news, small businesses and the can-do spirit of this community. I talked with my favorite local printer, Ray Kinney, about starting a monthly community independent newspaper. He said he couldn’t print it. He didn’t have a web press. That’s when I learned the difference between sheet-fed printers and big rolls of newsprint that feed onto web presses. And Ray connected me with a little printing company that could.
During Last Fling over Labor Day 2001, Positively Naperville arrived on the scene featuring the Naperville Jaycees on the first cover. With Jaycees’ permission, neighbor kids distributed the paper along the parade route. Believe it or not, that morning I arrived downtown without my camera only to observe dozens of folks along Mill Street reading PN. That’s when the idea to “Catch someone reading PN” began.
Then 11 days later became a defining time of resilience and determination to go forward with good news while promoting patriotism in this remarkable community.
Not long afterward, I met arts advocate Bev Frier. She candidly told me she’d been one of the spectators reading PN at the Labor Day Parade. Bev said she thought PN would never make it.
Bev’s comments have resonated through the extreme ups and downs of keeping the printed word alive these past 24-plus years while trying to meet commitments during often challenging, changing and sometimes caustic social media days.
Moving right along, every small independent business, whether nonprofit and for-profit, is challenged to meet obligations and to pivot as needed. Since our founding, we’ve been faithful to our mission to hang in there. More than ever, we appreciate all the kind words and community support that comes our way.
Centerfold now features editorials!
A few months ago, we took overdue advice from devoted readers who’d suggested we begin accepting guest editorials that address local hot-button issues. We call it “Writing on the Wall” as it’s posted alongside a photo of a quote by Coach John Wooden that truly is written on the wall of a local business.
Right now, the centerfold also features some Early Voting information for the Primary Election on March 17. All candidates running to serve Naperville are welcome to request a post for “meet and greet” events that link to the Candidate Listing at www.positivelynaperville.com, an election-year service this publication began more than 20 years ago.
Stay tuned and pay attention as the candidates put forth ideas for the dedicated service they aim to provide. Be informed and take time for Early Voting in person at the Naperville Municipal Center and other locations.
And begorra by gosh! Be an educated voter who votes before Primary Election Day ends at 7PM Tues., March 17. Happy St. Patrick’s Day.
As always, thanks for reading!
– Stephanie Penick
PN Publisher
