Saturday, February 7, 2009

100 years of Mundelein

Mundelein had a celebration today of 100 years as a village. The celebration started at Lincoln School with most of the local elected officials on hand to congratulate the village on this landmark status. Diana O'Kelly and Ed Sullivan Jr. gave Mayor Ken Kessler proclamations from the County Board and the State House congratulating Mundelein. We heard Abe Lincoln give the Gettysburg Address, with such feeling as if you were really there hearing President Lincoln. Mundelein High School Band members played the National Anthem without anyone singing solo, but before the band finished the audience sang it spontaneously, which meant more to me and I think everyone else there.

After the program ended you were encouraged to visit several sites of Mundelein, to learn more about the village and the people who live and work here. We visited the first Mayor’s home, which is now a very nice Bed & Breakfast Inn, the old firehouse, the police station, village hall, and the new firehouse. At each stop we met friends, neighbors, firemen, policemen, village workers, and public officials. It was very nice day for everyone in the area, not just Mundelein residents.

After getting home from this nice day it dawned on me who was not there or not even heard from. Congresswoman Melissa Bean was a no show. I checked the calendar for the U.S. House of Representatives and it shows they have no meetings at all going on right now. But of course, this is not an election year for Congress so why should she be here or even send someone in her place. Not to worry next year Melissa Bean will be here to tell us all how she is one of us and fighting for us in Washington DC.

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