Issue 6 - InVironments Magazine

Community
Rosario said more vendors,
more bands, and a
greater knowledge in the
community should help
boost those numbers.
Last year they were able to bring in
about four dancers and one band, but
she’s hoping the last year’s success will
spark more participants. She’s not sure
exactly how many more since they’re still
confirming acts but she’s optimistic.
“We’re also still looking for sponsors but
last year it worked out great,” she added.
The group has added a community
leadership award to this year’s event
that they will vote on soon and award
to a Hispanic community leader.
There will still be all the same attractions
as last year, including kids’ games
and prizes and several dance acts that
represent different Hispanic countries.
There will also be information on
this year’s beauty pageant, which
is geared toward Hispanic girls.
The pageant is another offshoot of
Rosario’s group. They started the pageant last year as
the sole fundraiser for a scholarship given to one of the
girls. “There are a lot of pageants like this around.”
Last year the group raised about $500 for one lucky girl and
they are hoping this year will be an even bigger success.
The scholarship amount always depends on the number of
participants. Any of the money raised from the festival actually
gets put back into the scholarship and helps to form the
non-profit group Rosario and her committee hope to create.
“That’s the ultimate goal,” she added, “To form
a not-for-profit group for Hispanics.”
With the level of success they’ve had so far, it shouldn’t take
them long – especially if they continue to receive the help and
support they’ve had from other communities and groups.
Rosario said groups from Sycamore, DeKalb, and Rockford
have all helped them in the past and they are hoping to
incorporate those groups into their activities in the future.
For now though, it’s all about keeping it simple.
They’d like to eventually add the pageant to the
actual festival but are still keeping it in November this
year in case it rains since there is no rain date.
Rosario said this year’s event runs from 3 to 10 pm at Atwood
Park. They are holding it five days prior to the start of Hispanic
Heritage Month because other communities will be having
their own festivals and they didn’t want to detract from those.
It also gives them the opportunity to work together with
those other communities and build stronger community ties
and enrichment. That goes for non-Hispanics too. Rosario
said the event isn’t meant just for the Hispanic residents. It’s
meant as a celebration of her culture and to also showcase it
for non-Hispanics in order to build stronger community ties.
“That’s the whole point,” Rosario said.
Anyone wishing to volunteer
can contact Rosario via email at
rherebia@hispanicheritagefestival.com
and more information can be found
on the festival’s website at
www.hispanicheritagefestival.com
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14 Rochelle InVironments Magazine • August-September 2011
Where life happens. 15
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