August/September 2005 Meetup

Let me throw out 2 events.

On August 13 and 14 the Illinois Renewable Energy Association will be holding the 4th Annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Living Fair in Oregon, IL. Illinois Renewable Energy Association It seems that someone with a Honda affiliation will be there to talk about the Insight. A good opportunity to tout our Prius.

The other is the Toyota take over of Millennium Park on September 8.

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[align=center:27d07f5861]MILLENNIUM PARK AND TOYOTA MOTOR SALES, U.S.A., INC. TO FORM SUMMER 2005 PARTNERSHIP [/align:27d07f5861]

[align=justify:27d07f5861]The Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs has announced a new partnership between Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A., Inc. and Millennium Park. As part of the agreement, Toyota will rent parts of Millennium Park for a private event on Thursday, September 8. To compensate for the use of the space, which will be closed to the public, Toyota will pay a $300,000 rental fee, plus an additional contribution of a $500,000 sponsorship to support free public programming in the park.

“Private rentals are an important source of income for the park,†said Department of Cultural Affairs Commissioner Lois Weisberg. “However, if park users are going to be inconvenienced by a partial closure, there must be a compensatory benefit for the public. In this case, that benefit will be realized through Toyota’s major sponsorship of free public programs throughout the park.“

During the private event on September 8, The Crown Fountain, Lurie Garden, Wrigley Square and the Millennium Park Bicycle Station will remain open to the public, as well as the Harris Theater box office. The remainder of the park will be closed for the entire day.

“The Toyota event will also be a useful test case for this type of rental. If it is successful, we may consider similar partnerships two to three times a year during non-peak times in the future,†continued Weisberg. “Toyota is honored to partner with the City of Chicago as a major sponsor of free concerts and events in Millennium Park. We hope these concerts are enjoyed by everyone and keep the city thriving, growing and evolving,†said Jim Lentz, Group Vice President and General Manager, Toyota Division.


Chicagoans and visitors are encouraged to visit the rest of the park during the partial closure, including The Crown Fountain, the Lurie Garden and Wrigley Square, or to return the following weekend for the park’s “Blockbuster Weekend†featuring free performances by the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Steppenwolf Theatre Company.
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Maybe just meet and then parade around the park in our Prius.

Wayne

I apologize, Wayne, but the embedded PDF was causing Adobe to launch every time and this was reaking havoc on my home PC. I have pulled the PDF article and pasted it as straight text. -Tony

 

Then there's the exotic distinction of being able to say that you drove all the way to Oregon, and they didn't stop you at the border.

I agree that crashing others' events is poor form. Though I notice that the "get around" slogan has not been used by our Regional Transportation Authority in many years, so I would like to suggest the name "Get-around" for a get-together in which the drivers move around the periphery of some landmark.

I greatly enjoyed our last meetup, at which I was privileged to see the faces of onlookers as yet ANOTHER Prius passed them. After a while even the motorcyclists noticed.

 

I'm a newbie and am curious to see the faces behind the names posted here.

I like the idea of the Oregon meeting: a road trip, a meeting at an alternative energy fair, and being able to talk to others about our cars. I dropped a note to the fair contact asking about it and about bringing out a Prius (or two or more).

 

Those folks are fast:


From: Sonia Vogl [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Wednesday, July 27, 2005 2:35 PM
To: Helmke,Richard A
Subject: Re: Fourth Annual Renewable Energy Fair


That would be great! We have a transportation exhibit area where you can have your cars and talk with visitors. Let us know the names of the others so the ticket takers will let them in free. Thanks!



Jul 27, 2005, at 1:19 PM, Helmke,Richard A wrote:


I just noticed your flyer on the upcoming event. I see you have Honda and some grown alternate energy cars being shown. Would it be worthwhile for me and several other owners of Toyota Prius cars to bring them to the fair and be there to talk about our real life experiences driving a +50mpg vehicle to work every day - summer and winter? Speaking personally, its been a hoot to commute in comfort with a car that doubled my mpg. We would be personal owners, not Toyota employees or marketing types -- just happy owners.

 

This sounds like it could be fun...add me to the list.

 

Since this is a 2 day event would we target one day or would we split it and some folks do one day and some the other. I wouldn't mind being there both days, love to catch some of the events besides selling the Prius. Besides, I'll be out that way (OK, a little further south on I-39) Sunday anyway for the Mendota Sweet Corn Festival, free all-you-can-eat buttered sweet corn at 2:00.

Wayne

 

Well, I don't have the legs for tights ;-)

I told Sonia that we are from the same group and are working on a list of names (since she got your mail too).

 

I would definately like to go, just waiting to hear if my husband is going to have a job interview in Atlanta that weekend, but for now, i'm a "yea".

ps. Oregon, IL has some really nice state park trails, and also a really weird mall that my husband and i walked through a few years ago.
here are some pictures from our trip...

http://photos.aberration.org/pics/020126-c...castle_rock_sp/

 

I'm in for all day Saturday and most of Sunday (I have to skip out at 1:00-go to Mendota-eat sweet corn-retrieve family-back to Oregon). What a great time to wear my new Prius T-shirt. Now to do a little paint touch-up to look super pretty.

Wayne

 

Count me in for Sunday (not sure if I can make Saturday at this time). I think $5 / day is a contribution to supporting fairs like these and not a factor in attending.

 

I will know for sure in the next week or so, don't count me out yet! but if i go, my husband Brian will be going with me, so thats another person, but not another prius.

the reason i am waiting to find out if he has an interview that week/weekend is because my family lives in atlanta so if he has an interview we are gonna take a little mini-vacation

 

I'm up for both days. Whoever is going for both days, I assume you're staying near there? We should all try to coordinate the same hotel, and line up our Prii there as well. :lol:

 

Due to school Sat is definately out. Sunday is a definate possibility.

 

I made sure to send the info to all the members of the Madison Hybrid Group last night. I'm glad to hear that a few of them have begun contacting you.

Since we are not strictly a Prius group, we have all the hybrid represented. So you could get an 400h, Highlander, or Escape mixed in with your Prius group. (I hope everyone is o.k. with that!)

I know people from the Madison Hybrid Group would be interested to talk to other hybrid owners and sharing ideas or learning from Prius owners.

I, like Tony, will not be able to attend , but hope there is a good turn out for the event.