Community Corner

Proud American Days Opens as Longtime Tradition for Residents

The carnival and cotton candy make for an All-American experience. Many residents remembered the festival from their childhood.

Early rain failed to dampen the spirits of New Lenox residents who came out in force to celebrate the -sponsored Proud American Days.

Beginning at 6 p.m. Thursday the carnival rides, mud volleyball, cotton candy attracted hundreds of families and teens who strolled the makeshift fairway that stretched around Lion's Den Park.

The rain barely spit for about an hour and then 76-degree temperature provided the perfect setting for the all-American, Norman Rockwell, experience. An aroma of cheesy nacho chips, beer and hot dogs on a stick wafted through the humid early evening air.  

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When asked, "Why are you here?" carnival goers responded more with body language than specific answers. Between the whipping roller coasters clacking along a loopy track, the roar of the Tilt-A-World and the di-di-do-do-do-do of the carousel, they'd  smile.

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Jennifer Olson and her daughter, 8-year-old Jessica Crocker, of New Lenox, said, "we look forward to it every summer. It's a highlight of the summer." The carnival offered Jessica a chance to feel the wind in her face as she enjoyed the giant slide and the Dragon ride.

For Rich Rudzinski and his children, 11-year-old Megan and 5-year-old Jenna, New Lenox's Proud American Days is a summer event. "It's Proud American Days, and we're proud Americans."

Sporting flip-flops on their feet, tank tops or T-Shirts and a pair of shorts, the teenagers came to ride the rides, sip jumbo-sized cups of soda through a straw, meet-up with their friends and flirt with the opposite sex.

Standing with his wife while the grandchildren waited in line for a ride that would send them swirling forward and backward, Mike Mikos said Proud American Days is "just a great time for the kids. It's a great time for family."

Pushing 3-year-old Luke in a stroller over the flattened grass, Val Luttrell together with husband Marc were acting on a family tradition. A life-long resident of New Lenox, Luttrell said, "I grew up with this. It's fun. It's an annual carnival for the town." This year, her son Luke would be going on his fist carnival ride, she added.

Having taken his five children to the carnival over the years, Russ Loverude was on the scene again. But this time, he had his 6-year-old granddaughter, Hannah Loverude, in tow.

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The annual spirit of fun definitely attracts the DiNardo family. Gina DiNardo said, "We come every year. It's loads of fun, and the kids love it." The biggest attraction, she said, is the "funnel cakes. You have to get a funnel cake."

Leaning in close to her boyfriend, Phil White, and circling in to chat with her mother, Barb Backhus and little brother Brett, Emily Backhus chuckled saying, ''I was in the baby contest 24 years ago. And we're still coming."

Beyond the bumper cars and the fun house, past the white tent, which served as the information booth, was a large empty field of dirt that was being sprayed till it was soaked through. While this might appeal to a pig looking for a place to roll in the mud, it was also an attractive spot for a half-dozen teams of mud volleyball enthusiasts.

For 18-year-old April Norton, a member of the Honey Badgers, which was named after a popular YouTube video, the chance to play in the mud was practically a rite of passage. "We like to play sand volleyball, so we thought this would be fun too."

Her mother Bonnie Norton, who was on the scene to cheer the team on, said her daughter forgot to bring one really important item. "I asked her if she brought plastic to sit on in the car." Since she didn't, Bonnie said, "I told her 'I guess you're walking home then.'"


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