Founders Day brings out local and virtual communities in Charlestown

SHABRELLE POLLOCK
newsroom@newsandtribune.com

June 29, 2009 02:48 pm

— Charlestown’s ninth-annual Founders Day festival brought the community out for a weekend of fun and celebration, with locals reflecting on how far the town has come as well as preparing for where it is heading.
Charlestown Mayor Bob Hall feels the biggest draw to the event each year is the chance locals get to build ties to their community.
“The festival shows the community spirit in all of us,” Hall said. “[People] want wholesome, nice, family-oriented fun. Kids need to grow up with positive memories.”
The festival was hosted by the Charlestown Beautification Committee. Donna Coomer served as co-chair of the committee this year and has been involved with the festival since it began in 2001.
“The theme this year was Family, Friends and Fun,” she said. “That’s what it’s all about.”
Coomer explained that through the festival and other efforts, the city was striving to debunk the myth that Charlestown didn’t have anything to bring the community together. The event — which was sponsored and funded by local and corporate sponsors — allowed locals a chance to come together in support of their community.
“The city of Charlestown played a big part in … the festival. They’ve done tremendous work [to] showcase the city,” she said.
A major attraction during the festival was a booth set up by the city of Charlestown, which displayed plans for the community’s future.
By 2015, Charlestown hopes that even those who can’t attend Founders Day in person will be able to enjoy some of the festivities via the Web. To do this, Hall has worked with Digital Connectors, a relatively new program made up of younger Charlestown residents whose focus is to bring the town into the technological age.
“We’re trying to keep Charlestown ahead of the wave,” Hall said.
CTOWN.TV will launch later this year, and when completed, will allow Charlestown to stream videos online including sporting events and town meetings. The goal through all of this is community connectivity, something that those involved with the project feel the Internet can provide.
“It’s important to show the community our message,” said Bob McEwen, development director. By being at the festival, he felt it showed a certain level of transparency from the local government, reassuring residents of their want to support them and keep them involved with town happenings.
“The Internet levels the playing field,” Hall said.
The Digital Connectors program also will allow local businesses to advertise through videos produced by the group members. In doing this, the mayor feels that the youth and the community at-large will benefit, connecting a generation that has grown up in the digital age to one that needs help to navigate it.
Despite the change to come, many residents came out strictly to enjoy the festival tradition.
“Coming to the festival shows community spirit,” said Charlestown resident Mandy Cobb, echoing Hall. “I came [for] the music and friends.”
Debbie Gleason worked the Clark County Extension Homemaker booth.
“I like people, and [the festival] helps people meet other people,” she said. “Hopefully, they can also learn a little about their heritage.”
Festival events included several live performances, the Founders Day parade, contests, a car show and an assortment of booths and concessions. Beautification Committee members were pleased with the event’s turnout.
“[Each year], when it gets to that Friday and Saturday, it’s worth every hour [I put in] to see the smiling faces,” Coomer said.

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