2023/06/05 - Mayor's Column: Congratulations to Hand Out!
“AN OPEN DOOR TO O’FALLON”
A WEEKLY NOTE FROM MAYOR HERB ROACH
I just want to share four items with you this week:
First, if you have driven through the Community Park in the last week, you have seen land grading taking place in the northwestern corner of the park. This is the site of the new Children’s All-Abilities Playground.
The equipment for the playground is scheduled to arrive in about three weeks. Once the equipment arrives, the foundation pieces will be put in place by the Parks & Recreation Department and equipment representatives. Once this is done, we will welcome volunteers that would like to help with the construction of this fantastic new playground that will be able to be used by all children.
We are so thankful for all the individuals and groups that have made donations to the Playground. Your generosity has helped us to add additional features to the playground.
Next, I always enjoy giving recognition to the good things that our youth achieve and this year there have been several things that we should be proud of what our O’Fallon youth have achieved through their hard work and teamwork. I’m pleased to give a shout out and congratulations to our OTHS Band members and staff for a very successful year.
This year has had many 1st place awards for their performances and two nationally recognized achievements.
Just a few weeks ago the OTHS band members and staff were recognized as one of the BEST High School Bands in the World as they received the Sudler Flag of Honor from the John Philip Sousa Foundation. This award has only been presented 87 times to Highschool bands around the world during the last 40 years. It is based on the achievements of a band over multiple years of success.
Then the most recent accomplishment is that nine of the members of the band and Band Director Dr. Gustafson-Hinds were selected to be members of the All-American D-Day Band and their Staff. They have played at the WWII Monument in Washington D.C. this past week and are now in France where they will appear at the American Cemetery in Brittany, in Sainte-Mere-Eglise, the American Cemetery at OMAHA Beach and others to honor our WWII Veterans.
These are two remarkable achievements by those involved and we should all be proud of what they have accomplished.
Third, a big congratulations goes to the OTHS Lady Panthers Soccer Team on their State Championship. Another congratulations to the Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Association’s Player of the Year: O’Fallon’s Kiley McMinn.
Lastly, I was recently elected by the Members of the Southwestern Council of Mayors to serve as V.P. of the Association and to be a Member of the East-West Gateway Board of Governments. This is made up of 24 Board Members that represent the City of St. Louis and the surrounding 7 counties for Illinois and Missouri in the St. Louis Region.
As residents of O’Fallon, you should always be able to reach out to your elected officials and ask questions about what is happening in O’Fallon. Having open communications is important to me and something I care very deeply about. Thank you for reading, and please remember, my door is always open.