American physician and author Mark Hyman once said, “The power of community to create health is far greater than any physician, clinic or hospital.” I couldn’t agree more, and that’s why in the spring of 2021, I asked the City Council to create the Community Relations Administrator position.
While formal responsibilities were outlined during the interview process, I informed candidates that their most important role would be to help me save Danville by changing how we think, feel, and speak about ourselves and improving our image to those outside of the city.
How would we achieve such a lofty goal? According to actress Teyonah Parris, “It only takes one person to mobilize a community and inspire change. Even if you don’t feel like you have it in you, it’s in you. You have to believe in yourself. People will see your vision and passion and follow you.” Luckily for us, we were blessed to find such a person in Ashton Greer. Thanks to her leadership, vision, and work ethic, what was just a position has transformed into a small but mighty Community Relations Division (CRD) that is making major progress toward our goals.
The CRD focuses on five primary areas to help make the community a healthier, more vibrant place: support of Neighborhood Associations, planning and implementing festivals and events, overseeing and producing city media and social media content, assisting with development projects, and developing and maintaining community partnerships. Although all of these roles are critically important, I want to spend some time sharing about one that means the most to many of you: First Fridays.
On the First Friday of each month, the CRD provides an entertaining event that brings people together in Downtown Danville to support local businesses, create positive experiences, and enhance the culture of our city. Thanks to our amazing sponsors, these events are free or low cost so that everyone can attend. They bring hundreds, and often thousands of people together to experience the charm, history, and culture of Danville. How do we know how many people are participating? Cell phone data shows that the number of people in the area more than doubles and sometimes triples during these events. Although a few of the First Friday themes change every year, I want to share some staples that folks seem to really love.
Each November, our Harry Potter Fest is second to none. At 5 p.m., Vermilion Street becomes Daigon Alley, the County Administration Building becomes Hogsmeade, and the Library becomes Hogwarts. As you walk around drinking your butterbeer, you may see Hagrid in the Forbidden Forest before you watch a Harry Potter movie at the Fischer Theatre. This event is so popular that I’ve met folks from Missouri, Indiana, and Ohio who traveled here just for it and there is a couple from Texas who plans their vacation around the event.
Fire & Ice, held each January, is a treat for all. Hosted by the Palmer Arena, this event boasts ice skating, sledding, fire spinners, a Fire Department obstacle course, and a host of other cool activities. For many people, this is their first time on the ice, and it’s hard to tell who’s having more fun, the parents or their kiddos. It’s heart-warming to see people grinning from ear-to-ear as they play and create memories together. A huge shoutout to our new Community Development Coordinator, Rheanna Ollis, for making this year’s event so successful.
Perhaps my favorite event, Danville’s Got Talent (DGT), happens at the Fischer each March. We were pleasantly surprised by the quality of performances the first year, and they keep getting better. What I love about this event is it brings people from all walks of life together to support some of the most talented individuals in our community. Last year’s winner, Jennie Lou Lang, had just moved to town less than one month before she auditioned. She recently told me, “I’m from California and have lived all over the country, but have never felt more welcome and supported than here in Danville. DGT opened that door for me and First Fridays have continued to foster that strong sense of community that I’ve come to love.”
We hope that you’ll join us March 1st for the 3rd Annual DGT so that you can experience what Jennie is talking about. In the meantime, our CRD and the rest of the City Team will keep doing all that we can to make Danville an even better place to live, work, invest, and play.