Comments on: An Americaneagle Saves Our “Rockets’ Red Glare”

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:54:43 +0000

Amazingly (or not?), the mayor announced the fireworks deal at the most recent Council meeting. Who did he credit? Not Tony Svanacini, the fine gentleman who pledged the $20,000. No, the mayor took some of the credit for himself and gave most of the rest of it to Dick Barton. What a tool.

By: anonymous

anonymous — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 20:21:22 +0000

WHy doesn’t KIWANIS just front what they spend in expenses to run the concessions at the fireworks, what they make (gross and net revenue), and what they pay to the City, the Park District or anyone else for their exclusive concession rights? If they’re not hiding anything, why not disclose and be done with it?

By: fred

fred — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 15:35:09 +0000

Thanks, Americaneagle! I took my family to the fireworks this year, paid $5 to park, got hit up to buy glow stuff for the kids, all because theyre trying to recover costs (which I agree with). So why then does Kiwanis get a free ride to fundraise without giving anything to help with costs?

By: anonymous

anonymous — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 21:33:34 +0000

Milton? John Milton? Milton Berle?

Check out the City’s report on the fireworks – no mention of Kiwanis contributing money, and no revenue reported for “concessions.” Sounds like you got conned by your Kiwanis “Deep Throat.”

If I made a list of who I give a buck, or a fiver, or even a sawbuck to in any given year, it might be as long as the Kiwanis list. Big deal. How much do they give and how often?

The more I read about these organizations, the more I wonder how much good they really do in relation to all the business and professional schmoozing that goes on.

By: Milton

Milton — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 02:33:37 +0000

It goes without saying that I’m appreciative of the generous offer from Americaneagle, Inc. But, I can’t help wondering what their hidden agenda is. Nobody provides a service to the community without expecting something in return.

By: Alpha Female

Alpha Female — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 00:15:13 +0000

Milton,

While you went on at length about that apparently despicable Kiwanis Club, you totally failed to make any mention of, or offer of gratitude to, Americaneagle, Inc. for their generous donation!

But in consideration of your very negative feelings if not obsession about Kiwanis, I do understand that anything that would allow their reprehensible behavior to continue would not be greeted with appreciation by you.

Though I personally find it odd that you concentrated all your attention on what is certainly not the bulk of substance in today’s Watchdog piece, you do state your case against the Kiwanis rather impressively.

I must also admit to being astounded at your ability to recall such an extensive list from memory! The duplicitous Kiwanian rattled all those organizations off to you and you remembered them all! Utterly astounding!

By: Milton

Milton — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 23:36:23 +0000

Kudos to Public Watchdog! It’s about time that someone took on the Kiwanis machine. One of their ilk told me that the clubs allegedly make an annual contribution to defray the costs of the fireworks but I think he was covering up something. Then he claimed that the local Kiwanis clubs provide support to a whole laundry list of questionable projects like Adopt-a-Highway, Avenues to Independence, Center for Concern Christmas Baskets, Hugh O’Brien Youth Foundation, July 4th Kiddie Parade, Maine Center for Mental Health, Maine East Key Club, Maine South Key Club, Maine South scholarships, Meals on Wheels, Northwest Suburban Boy Scouts, Northwest Suburban Girl Scouts, Park Ridge Baseball & Softball, Park Ridge Fire Explorer Post, Park Ridge Library, Park Ridge Police Explorer Post, Park Ridge Teen Center, Park Ridge Historical Society, Park Ridge Youth Campus, Plymouth Camp for the Handicapped, Rainbow Hospice, Spastic Paralysis Research, Special People, Spinoza Bears, The Harbour, WINGS, World Affairs Seminar, Maine Township High Schools After-Prom Activities and Park Ridge Uptown Holiday Flag Displays but he provided me with no accounting records to document any of it. But here’s the kicker: he claimed that Kiwanis sells concessions at the fireworks show more as a service to the people of Park Ridge than as a fund-raiser! Do you believe the arrogance of that statement?

Anyway, I think it’s high time we gave Kiwanis the boot and got a for-profit vendor in there who’ll be willing to pay to play!