President

I have been an active member of the Holiday Hills Association (HHA) since it's inception and it has been a rewarding experience to meet so many good, caring people in our neighborhood. Most of our active members have also attended our meetings since the beginning of the HHA and we have truly become like an extended family.

Some of our members have lived in their homes since their subdivision of Holiday Hills was built. They've raised their families here. Many have lived here for decades and have built lifetime friendships with their neighbors who have also decided to call Holiday Hills their home. Others have lived in Holiday Hills for a lesser amount of time, but none the less, have chosen to help make it a better place to live by being an active member of the HHA.

We are all aware of how Holiday Hiils used to be, back in the good old days, when Holiday Hills was new and the residents were local business leaders and various professionals of many types. Of course, as time passes, houses age, and other new neighborhoods are built, the business leaders and professionals have moved on to greener pastures, so Holiday Hills has changed.

Unfortunately, some residents have reacted bitterly to this change and long for those good old days. But, as the saying goes, 'You can never go back.' So, as some of our new neighbors move in and remark how glad they are to live in Holiday Hills, some of the ones who have lived here for so many years gripe and moan. Some are determined to 'get out.'

I'm a firm believer in the saying that, 'If you're not part of the solution, then you're part of the problem.' At a recent Neighborhood Association Workshop, the theme was, 'You don't have to move to live in a better neighborhood!' After living in Holiday Hills and seeing all the changes that have occurred over the years, I've realized the importance that communication has in improving our neighborhood, and human relationships overall. Get to know your neighbors. Attend a HHA meeting and meet neighbors who care enough about making Holiday Hills a better neighborhood that they are willing to devote an hour a month to interact with other good neighbors.

The recent decision by the Danville Public Works Department to re-activate the stoplight at Bowman and Crestview, after the completion of the laying of a new waterline, is the latest example of how important the HHA is to all of the residents in our neighborhood. Without the constant interest and input regarding projects that directly affect Holiday Hills, our city leaders, department heads, and the two aldermen representing our ward, would have no idea how we felt about the decisions that they make. If there was no HHA, that stoplight would not be re-activated. There is strength in numbers, which is why many city people have openly remarked that the HHA is the strongest neighborhood association in Danville.

There are many who aren't aware that, because of the vigilance and activism of an ex-resident, and with the help of her two sons, an apartment complex was stopped from being built next to the Valleyview Apartments. She just happened to be watching a local news channel and the reporter was interviewing a resident across the street from where the proposed site was. This was the first time that anyone in Holiday Hills was made aware of this. Realizing the negative effect this would have on our neighborhood, she printed up 500 flyers and raced through the streets of Holiday Hills with her two sons and put a flyer in everyone's door that announced this proposal that the City Council was going to vote on.

The plan had already made it through the zoning committee and they sent it to the full City Council for approval. This happened before the HHA was formed, and neither the members of the zoning committee, our aldermen, or any City officials, contacted any residents of Holiday Hills that I'm aware of. On the night of the City Council vote, the Mayor and alderman were quite surprised when at least fifty (and probably more) Holiday Hills residents streamed in to the Council's chambers. Some of us even carried signs of protest. The Mayor and City Council had no idea who we were or why we were there. They found out during the 'Audience Comments' part of the City Council agenda.

To make a long story short (or is it too late?), a motion was made to send the request back to the zoning committe for further review. But as Alderperson Lois Cooper so aptly observed in her comment, 'With so many people passionately against it, I think we should just vote to not approve it.' The zoning petition was voted down. There is strength in numbers. The HHA was formed shortly afterwards at a time when newly-elected Mayor Eisenhauer was pushing for the creation of more neighborhood associations. Just as members of the various Neighborhood Crime-Watch groups serve as eyes and ears for the police, neighborhood associations serve as the communicators between neighborhoods and the City. We tell them what we need to make a better and safer neighborhood, and they can tell us of any developments that may be coming up in our neighborhood to get a feel of how the residents might react. It's been a good working relationship during the seven years that we've been in existance.

I was informed that the stoplight may not be re-activated, so I took a poll of the Holiday Hills residents on my email list, then informed the City of the results. There have been too many examples to list of how the City has recognized the HHA as the best neighborhood association in town. We've had a U of I student, who was studying neighborhood associations, sent to us, people that want to start a neighborhood association, people that want to offer their services, etc. The list of guest speakers that we've had over the last seven years is second to none. Earlier this year, an Illinois Supreme Court Associate Justice had agreed to be a guest speaker, but, unfortunately, we couldn't get our schedules to match.

Understand that I am not bragging on myself, far from it. I've stated many times that the HHA is not 'my' organization, it's a Holiday Hills neighborhood association, and I just happen to be the current President. The strength of the HHA lies in it's number of caring, active members. Neighbors who take the time to make this a better neighborhood by volunteering to help out with our spring cleaning, neighborhood-wide rummage sales, parades, and a whole lot more.

I'm asking you to please help make Holiday Hills a nicer place to live and the HHA an even stronger neighborhood association by simply coming to one of our meetings. Everything we do makes a difference!