Rogers Park Garden Group Volunteer Pamela says...> "It is unfortunate that Tom Westgard has chosen to attack the Rogers Park Garden Group without getting his facts straight or even coming to any of our events or meeting us.
The RPGG was formed by RP residents with diverse opinions and interests. A few people worked on aldermanic challenger campaigns and some are Joe supporters and had Joe yard signs during the election. Our membership includes peoples of all political stripes -- including the Alderman. Don Gordon is not a member (though we'd be as happy to have him join as anyone else).
Our marketing and promotion has included reaching out to as many businesses, residents, websites, blogs, and non-profits as possible. The alderman's office has put our posters in their window and promoted the Morse Circle Park community garden project through email. Dev Corp has been promoting our events on their website and emails. The RP Community Council allows us to make copies of flyers. Many businesses from Ennui to Starbucks have allowed us to put posters in their windows and flyers in their shops. Michael James of the Heartland had us on his radio show. Some bloggers have emailed me and asked me to send them event notices so that they can help promote our events. Broken Heart and Craig have been terrifically supportive by posting our notices frequently and often. Craig even gave us a gratis ad in Gay Chicago Magazine. We are hugely appreciative of the support of all who have helped us get the word out. We began as 6 women with day jobs, and we've worked as hard as possible to reach out to everyone in RP. If we have missed or overlooked anyone it is only due to lack of time.
Honestly, it's hurtful to the point of tears that we're being attacked in this manner. We have personally funded the start up costs involved in this effort. We worked hard to raise about $400 for the Circle Park project plus we used our cars to buy and transport the plants and then we spent a day toiling in the sun to plant. We have walked blocks and blocks to hand deliver event flyers to residents. We spend hours writing newsletters and sending them and reaching out to everyone we can. And we do this on our days off and in the wee hours of the night. If anyone is interested in helping us to promote all they have to do is email us (our email is on all the posters). We will take support and help from all quarters. We're just about gardening, camaraderie, and beauty -- things that, I assumed, cut across political beliefs and alliances.
Our mission is to promote gardening in the community through education and by assisting in the growth and development of green spaces. That's all we want to do -- help make RP more beautiful for all residents to enjoy. We are not a political organization and we have no affiliation with any political entity or individual. What members may do politically outside the RPGG is their business.
I sent a post to this effect to Tom Westgard's blog but he's not yet posted it. My comments to him also requested that he remove our logo/art from his website, as he does not have permission to use it and is infringing on our copyright. The RPGG art/poster was designed by a professional graphic artist who works for a major publisher and who gives of his time every month to remake the poster for us. This person doesn't even live in IL but does the work because he thinks it's a good thing! Now Tom Westgard violates our copyright and defaces this art to attack a bunch of ladies in gardening gloves?
How mean-spirited can a human being be?"
7 comments:
How, really, can anyone attack a totally innoucious and public spirited group like the Rogers Park Garden Group? This organization's sole purpose is to beautify Rogers Park, and they are receiving no compensation for this.
Westgard seems to be a bottomless pit of malice, and when you are confronted with this kind of spite and evil, it's best not to ask why or how the person came to be that way,or what it's all about- just get as far away as you can as fast as you can.
satire does not violate copyrights. surprised you did not add that comment, as i'm sure you are aware of this fact. if not- look up falwell v flynt
Westgard seems to want to drag the whole area down to the level of the hoodlums, whores, and welfare parasites he has such tender regard for.
Wow, so it looks like that WESTerly wind is again blowing incendiary flames through our neighborhood. No problem. We can cool it off and extinguish the wanton destruction it promotes. Tell us, Pam and you ladies and gents in gardening gloves, how much is a Rogers Park Garden Group membership fee? Where do we mail in our checks to join, or even make a donation? Your new group will be like a vibrant garden we'd all be proud to water and help grow!
1. That guy clearly has too much time on his hands to be a working lawyer.
2. He's dumber than a box of hammers.
Legal minds can debate if Westgard's use of the RPGG art is satire or not but there is no disagreement that it is very much copyright infringement. He can do all the satire he wants but he can't use our art to do it. The Disney people have made this point often in their legal actions.
To join the RP Garden Group, you may send a check payable to the RPGG in the amount of $10. Please email us at rpgardengroup@comcast.net for the address.
Membership gains you free admittance to our meetings, held the last Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. from April-Oct. We have had speakers including John Eskandari of Gethsemane's, Christy Webber of Christy Webber Landscapes, Terry Guen, of Terry Guen Design Associates and project architect for the Lurie Garden at Millenium Park. On Aug. 28 Melina Kelson-Podolsky from Kendall Culinary Arts School will talk about sustainable and edible gardening. She's also a Certified Master Baker! On Sun. 9/30 we will hold a garden sale fundraiser for next year's community garden project. Send us your email and we'll add you to our semi-monthly e-newsletter that will keep you posted about our events and activities.
Post a Comment