Dear Members,
Our efforts to save the bridge forever are paying off. This week, April 27th, 2007, the Wisconsin Historical Society approved Door County's “Sturgeon Bay Bridge” for listing on the Wisconsin State Register of Historic Places. This listing has been sent on to the National Parks Service to be placed onto the National Register (approval expected sometime in the next two months). Our historic bridge represents (under criteria "C" according to Heritage Research Group) a significant advance in American engineering, which would surely have been lost forever without your support.
These listings are over two years in the works. It's taken awhile, but now we can be hopeful that these honorable designations will give the State-owned bridge more consideration by the Department of Transportation when addressing funding for maintenance, and a true restoration. (pat says that last sentence was "excessive rhyme, only good in sixties musicals and rap lyrics." Sorry :)
This major step in the preservation effort should have a major impact on the future of our bridge and our community. I was honored to be present at the meeting when the application was reviewed. A great moment was when the State Board gave all of us a round of applause for our effort. I wish you all could have been there, it was quite the honor. Our group plans on donating the certificates and designation archives to the City of Sturgeon Bay at this years Steel Bridge Songfest. Congressman Kagan, Mayor Tom Voegele, and others will be on hand helping in the ceremony.
In Other News:
As you can see, we have a new website design. From the new site, you can now order your reserved passes right from home, keep up with the SB news and even order the new CD (soon to be released) called Steel Bridge Songs Vol.1. As the site evolves, we will be adding new things all the time like more photos, merch. stuff like past years T-shirts etc, and additional info on all the artists, so check it out periodically for more upgrades.
The Festival is growing fast and furious now, and pat mAcdonald and Chris Aaron are working overtime to get the line up finalized. (Already we have more new original acts this year than last lined up (over 100) and many of the original SB songwriters have also committed to coming back again, so check the schedule for your favorite songwriters from last years event.) I on the other hand get the glam jobs of lining up port-a-potties and making sure we have enough food and volunteers, so please see our website for more info on how to help out.
Our Bridge is much bigger than it appears. The unique bridges that are being built between the artists, our expanding community and historic preservation, are surely the most rewarding part of my participation in the festival and preservation experience. This is an event celebrating “giving of ones passion” all the way around. I’d like to just share a few of the many stories that are fresh in my head about more metaphoric bridges you have all helped create:
1. I had six songwriters at my house, two others on the phone. They all worked for two days straight (literally) non stop, helping Pat and I with the plans from the insert flyer to the line up. This isn’t planned, but just happens around here on a regular basis.
2. As we were upgrading the website, we added the “donate” page link to the website, and two minutes later a $1000.00 donation came in from a man in Milwaukee. We thought he might have made a mistake by adding one or two additional zeros to his intended donation amount, so we called the guy up right away just to find out it was no mistake and that he attended last year and just loved the music stating “I can afford it and just wanted to help some way”. We talked for about an hour and realized we had met at the event last year.
3. One of the most touching stories was when, out of the blue, Fred Young of Young Automotive (who I hardly knew at the time) called and said he wanted to help the songwriters and musicians (who donate their performances and transportation) by donating $600.00 in $20.00 gas cards to help them pay some of their expenses getting here. Pat and I were just thrilled, both on how creative and needed his gift is, especially for some of the younger artists. Since this call, we have all become very good friends and talk quite often on other aspects of the festival.
4. I called The Ladder House to see if they would be open to being added to the venues this year considering they were new in the community. The manager said, he would love to, and on his own, right away offered to help feed the artists when they are here for the songwriting week.
This type of organic giving of everyones individual passions has happened right from the start when Pat and Jackson offered to come and play a benefit for the bridge, Shelia Turner offered her ship yard and the community pulled together to do the rest.
Now THIS is what having a sense of COMMUNITY is all about, what this whole event is based on and what the Bridge represents to most of us now:
A songwriter and musician giving a song and expertise
A ship repair service giving their shipyard
An auto dealer giving gas for transportation.
A cook giving some creative food. . .
A generous guy giving his money.
. . .An so on, and so on, the circle goes, each volunteer offering unique talent and passion, each, both giving and receiving.
In every way, the quality of Steel Bridge Songfest is truly a celebration of everyone’s individual passion, and put all together, reflects a true sense of community and place. The Songfest over the past 3 years has been built on numerous stories like those listed above, each having a special place in our hearts. As you all know, the more this happens organically, the better this Festival becomes, and the easier it is to keep making it better each year. We have yet to say "no" to anyone, when it comes to a person donating their passion or gift to this event and the quality of this event reflects a little part of each one participating. If you have a talent you think may help, please go to our website and become part of your community, and part of history, I guarantee. The reward is worth every minute of your time.
Well there's the good news so far. What do you think? Not bad for a group of A.D.D. artists and enthusiasts! I will try to blog regularly to keep you up-to-date as things transpire. Thanks to each and every one of you for helping in your own special way, whether it be by purchasing a pass, or donating your passion. Our advertising budget is minimal, so we invite you to spread the word about how great this event really is: Tell eveyone you know about Steel Bridge Songfest. Share this blog by email. Always include our website address: steelbridgesongfest.org
Thanks again!
Yours in Preservation,
christie weber, SB3 director
christie@steelbridgesongfest.org
Preservation Rocks!