One of the Greatest Gifts a Father can give his Son or Daughter is Time spent together.
Early on Saturday, November 12th, Indian Scout and Indian Princess families gathered at 160 Main Street to meet up with their tribes and to collect their assignments for a day of tree lighting on the streets of Park Ridge. With efforts coordinated in part by PRISIP Federation Chief Scott Richter and Park Board Commissioner (and jovial Indian Scout dad) Mel Thillens, tribes went north, south, east and west stringing up lights to brighten up the holiday season for our community!
For the third year in the row, the Park Ridge Indian Scouts and Indian Princess organization has rallied a “coalition of the willing” to help ensure that the holidays in Park Ridge are not only merry but bright.
Working with a diverse pool of resources to provide management, coordination, administrative support and strong backs in addition to significant funds, Park Ridge Indian Scouts and Indian Princesses is joined by members of the Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis, Rotary, Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Advocate Health Care, the Center for Concern, and Rainbow Hospice in realizing this initiative. Additional financial support for this massive undertaking comes from a host of others, including private citizens, with many local businesses also generously providing food, space, power, and more.
Says PRISIP Federation Chief Scott Richter: “I can’t express how proud I am to be a member of this community as everyone has “put their money where their mouth is” and is following through with their respective promises and commitments. Funds to purchase lights have been raised. Donations of time, material, equipment, food, etc. have materialized. And we have a core group of guys that have been, and will continue to be, out in the streets spending the time doing the things that need to be done to prepare for light stringing day and beyond.”
For members of the Park Ridge Indian Scouts and Indian Princess tribes, just as in years past, we will need all hands on deck with as many children and dads as possible to help this group hang lights on the morning of Saturday, November 12th.
We’ll get started as early as 7 am and use the empty storefront at 116 Main Street (formerly Dominick’s Kitchen Store) as our base of operations. All lights, tape, stringing poles, cable ties, etc. will be provided. Dads are asked to bring is something to cut/trim cable ties, as well as ladders if they have them. Those with ladders can do the taller trees but many trees can be done with just a pole. Once again, we have all trees numbered and will hand out the maps and supplies for each individual tree to our volunteers. PRISIP is responsible for stringing a little over half the trees encompassed in the project, and the support and efforts of our members are appreciated.
Members should plan to join us for group photo on the steps of City Hall and plenty of food and drinks for all immediately following the tree lighting at noon on the 12th. Spouses, and children too young or unable to help with the stringing the lights are welcome and encouraged to attend.
In addition to the volunteers needed on November 12th, we could use several dads with ladders to come out this coming Saturday October 29th and help run the remaining power cords. We have made great strides the past few weeks getting power to many of the trees without base whips, but there is still many that need to be addressed in order to be ready for lights up day. Again, instructions, maps, supplies, coffee donuts, etc. will be provided. This will kick off in the library parking lot near the clock at the corner of Prospect and Summit at 6 am Saturday, October 29th.
Adds Fed Chief Richter: “I thank you all in advance for your help; it is my belief that this is truly a worthwhile endeavor and one that we all get a great deal of enjoyment from as Fathers and Daughters, as Fathers and Sons.”
More to follow – bring on the volunteers!
Additional Details and Articles
Officially completing the cycle of nearly all PRISIP activities with the traditional “presentation of the commemorative patch,” the PRISIP Iroquois Firepit Project team added another memory to their vests today. Surrounding the primary “bird of fire” device, the patch details not only the dates of the activity but the names of the Fathers that contributed to the effort.
For all of our Nations in the Park Ridge Indian Scouts and Indian Princess Federation, the new season is the start of something new. It’s not just back-to-school time, or the changing of the seasons as autumn follows summer, but new members joining new tribes, first campouts, new friends, the beginning of a journey that will last for sumers, ideally, a lifetime of Father and Son, Father and Daughter, together forever.
For us here at the PRISIP Federation, this year is also the start of something new – our new website, prisip.org – meant to connect you to our events and activities as never before. We hope you’ll take the time to follow and enjoy us throughout this new year, and beyond! Drop back from time to time and see what your favorite Nation or Tribe has been up to, share with your friends, get involved, get excited, enjoy.
We welcome you to our site, and invite you to enjoy the start of something new…
Following the official Dedication of the new Iroquois Firepit Project at the Wildwood Nature Center in Park Ridge, one of the participating Iroquois dad’s was moved to share photos and video of the building effort in the style of Ken Burns’ Civil War, as well as some additional footage from the dedication on September 17th, 2011.
Some say it’s only a legend; others believe it may be all too real – a treasure buried on the site on the Iroquois Firepit project at the Wildwood Nature Center. For the first time we reveal the contents of the alleged treasure:
