The 2008 Festival lacked the spirit of the two before it. One third of the paying vendors didn’t show up Saturday morning to claim their reserved spaces. Entertainers blew us off without the courtesy of a phone call. Some vendors who were not registered refused to pay for their spaces, citing the property owner gave them permission to be there, (this is always a lame reason as the space near the sidewalk actually belongs to the City of Cave Junction, who allows us to charge for those spaces).

We lost some more vendor spaces last year. Evidently some merchants do not see the value of having a colorful booth in front of their businesses. approximately one third of the downtown thoroughfare is now unavailable for vendor booth space.

The last two years we included the park in the festival site plan at the request of people who feel the park is better suited for family activities. We were fortunate to have the I.V. Family Coalition handle the park activities for us, but the turnout for some of the planned exhibits was poor at best.

The Rogue Valley Flyers had a wonderful display of radio controlled model airplanes that went unnoticed. There were period actors who portrayed famous and historical people from the old frontier days of Josephine County. I very much enjoyed their presentation. It’s a shame that so many others missed them.

The evening free concert was the biggest disappointment from our standpoint. Just a little over a dozen people took the time to come up to the park and enjoy the Bluegrass and Country music. The I.V. Fire Fighter Volunteers set up a hot dog cart to raise money for their organization. They ended up eating their own food and leaving the park empty handed.

This was not what a community festival should have been like, and that is a sad thing to accept. Two weeks later the town was full of activity for a very successful Lion’s Labor Day Festival, and I am happy for them, truly.

They have a bigger, well run organization behind them and they do good things for the Valley as a whole, and individuals in particular. They need to succeed. But it is a good indicator that there is more interest for what they are doing and less interest in what we are doing.

I have spoken to past Blackberry Festival organizers from over the years, and the common denominator can be summed up like this: A lot of people want to see the Blackberry Festival continue, but very few want to do anything to help. So I guess as long as it is someone else’s headache, they don’t mind having it around.

Well, that’s a shame. It appears people don’t care to get involved anymore. Is it because they have so many problems of their own they don’t have time for anything else? I was raised to believe you help yourself by helping others, but I’m starting to feel this outlook isn’t as common as it once was.

This year we tried to incorporate raising money with helping out in the community. We gathered some volunteers from the school that bears her name and cleaned up Mrs. Lorna Byrne’s property, which was grown over and a fire hazard from years of neglect. In return we got to keep the wood, which we put up for sale as firewood in the I.V. News paper.

We didn’t get one single phone call. As time passed it became clear we would struggle in the present economic climate to secure the money needed to put on the festival for 2009. Eventually, the board voted 4 to 2 to suspend this year’s festival. The support just isn’t there and we have no money.

This is why there is no Festival this year. We paid the organization’s operating expenses and continue to be a valid non-profit. We will also continue to have a presence in the community. We hope there will be enough support for next year, and that is our goal at this time. In the meantime, please give your support to the other community non-profit organizations who no doubt are struggling during these trying times, and help those who help others.

Sincerely,

Mark & Judy Russo

Yours, Mark

Til next time,

Mark

Mark

Mark

Mark

If you would like to join us, send an email to: info@wildblackberry.org or come to one of our planning meetings. The dates and times are on the main Blackberry web page. We certainly could use the help, and you would be benefiting the community as well. Besides, It’ll make you feel all warm and special inside!

On January 26th, I hauled my sound equipment down to the Selma Community Center and assisted the I.V. Family Coalition with their annual fund raiser. It was a murder/mystery play and dinner, and I provided the mics and sound system as well as the music they needed to sing to, and for ambiance. In return for this, the Coalition will host the Children’s activities in the park for the Blackberry Festival this August.

Needless to say, it was a smashing success, and they took in on one night what it takes us all year to make. I hope that one day we will be able to do the same thing for the Blackberry Festival. The Coalition has the advantage of a 501 c 3 status and a strong membership (hint, hint.) We are a 501 c 6, which means our organization can enjoy the benefits of a non-profit, but we cannot pass those benefits on to anyone who contributes to us. In simple terms, we are tax exempt, but your donation to us is not.

I know some day we will achieve our goal, as long as we remain focused and diligent. The Festival has been going for 27 years now, and I foresee it going for 27 more and beyond. The area is evolving, and so are we.

Yours, Mark

We, the board of the Illinois Valley Wild Blackberry Festival, will do our best to continue to guide the organization in the highest traditions of its founders. Click on our names above for a picture and short bio of each of us.

Lee Eschen

Webmaster