THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2007
Annual Stroll To Honor Late Mayor
This year's Saturday Stroll will be one to remember, according to Doug DuBrock, executive director of Willow Creek Health Club in Rosemont.
The annual stroll, which raises money for various charities, will be held in the name of the late Mayor Donald E. Stephens this year, he said.
"It was very important to me to make sure it's done right," said DuBrock who worked under the mayor for 16 years. "The respect that I personally have for him is outstanding and I just don't want to make a mistake."
Careful planning went into this year's annual event, set for Sept. 8, he continued. He's tried to make the stroll as centralized to Rosemont as possible, and that includes using a Rosemont-based band and an event t-shirt with the mayor's picture on it.
Troy Burke, a village employee in the housing department who has played under groups named "Troy Burke Trio," "Pearl Street Band" and in the early 80's "Chapter" agreed to play that day.
"It's just going to be a bunch of guys coming together," Burke explained. He said he, Jim Eichelberg and one other local will play that day.
Three from town used to play together back in the day, DuBrock said. For the Stroll, they'll perform under the name "Troy Burke Trio," and they think it's only fitting they reunite for the late mayor's tribute.
"I think the whole town is going to love listening to them again," said DuBrock.
Burke said the group will likely play songs from U2, Maroon 5, Coldplay along with some Motown music.
"We're just happy to be doing this," said Burke. "Give something back to the late, great, respected mayor of Rosemont. We're glad to be asked."
Another unique detail of this year's Saturday Stroll is the t-shirt. This year's shirt will be printed with the mayor's picture on the left side of the chest. The stroll's logo, normally printed on the front, will be moved to the left sleeve. The back, as in past years, will feature names of sponsors. This year, the shirt will be an ice gray color.
In order to receive a t-shirt, participants must be registered to the event. Registration is already open, though it closes Tuesday, Sept. 4. DuBrock said people have to participate in order to receive the t-shirt.
As DuBrock continued laboring over the details this week, he noted that the event couldn't have been possible without the permission and help of the late mayor's family.
DuBrock hopes this year's theme of memorializing the mayor will draw a larger than normal crowd. Last year the event hosted 700 people and he hopes to see 800 to 1,000 this year.
Stephens, who served as the village's only mayor until his death in April, spent more than a year battling stomach cancer.
This year, all proceeds will be donated to the a gastric cancer research organization. Over the last 13 years, the event has raised $220,000 that was donated to various charitable organizations.
The Saturday Stroll is a 2-mile walk around the Village of Rosemont. It starts off at Lange Park on Scott Street and Granville Avenue at 5 p.m. Sept. 8, whirls around the town, and ends again at the park where sponsors provide free food, drinks and music.