Spirit of Christmas Alive During Downtown Event

Date: 12/17/2001
Letter to the Tribune Star Editor
by Patrick Titzer

For those in the know, the place to be for a genuine old-fashioned shopping and community experience Dec. 7 was at the annual Downtown HolidayFest, as the night was a rousing success.

We counted close to 400 people going through our shop above the Crossroads Cafe between 6 and 9 p.m. The new City trolley/bus ran until 9:30 because the demand for trips to Deming Park was so high. The crowds on the street ebbed and flowed, encouraged by warm weather and open houses all over the place. Even the Chamber of Commerce stayed open until 3:30 p.m. with their open house -- although, regretfully, their event may have been missed in the brochure in the excitement of everything else. Another successful Jingle Bell Run, a great auction of items donated by local business conducted by Teri Rowe raising funds for the Veterans Plaza Project, a tree lighting at the Condit House, stories around the tree at Arts Illiana, Santa Claus, two trolleys -- sponsored by two banks (First and Old National) with receptions and refreshments of their own, lights in the trees for the first time in many years, the opening of the Wabash Currents Exhibit at the Swope Art Museum. Many shops, like ours, open late. Carolers, Brass Ensembles, Victorian Street Peddlers, Party on the Pavement at the school corporation building, stained glass windows in downtown churches illuminated just for the enjoyment of passersby. Broadcasts by local news stations, channels 2 and 10; articles detailing the events in the Tribune Star.

A real glimpse of Terre Haute's Christmas Past, as it were. Except it is in fact, Christmas Present, not Past or even Future, but right here and now.

There is a sense of community with Downtown Terre Haute Inc., and its members work selflessly to promote downtown at large. They pay to advertise in the paper and in other media, just like everyone else, but then they volunteer to organize events which are a boon to this community and which benefit everyone, often at a great cost to their own businesses and their personal time. Such sacrifice is not unique to small business owners for sure, but they are often the people with the least amount of free time to begin with.

And so Karen and I want to take this opportunity to thank our fellow members of Downtown Terre Haute Inc., and among others Marlene Lu, Theresa Ortega, Todd Nation, Boo Lloyd and Terri Rowe, for organizing another memorable, successful event downtown. Your selfless volunteerism is an inspiration.

-- Patrick and Karen Titzer

Titzer Art Studios

Terre Haute