“Community Civility Counts/Pierogi Fest Welcome Initiative” News Conference

Friday, June 19, 2015

The Whiting-Robertsdale Chamber of Commerce, the Gary Chamber of Commerce and The Times of Northwest Indiana plan to announce an initiative to demonstrate the region’s continuing commitment to the “Community Civility Counts” campaign.

The initiative will take place at this year’s Pierogi Fest, the July 24-26 festival that draws national and even international attention and for the 10th consecutive year was named Best Festival by readers of The Times.

In building on the Gary Chamber’s civility campaign first announced in April, and in follow up to the Whiting-Robertsdale Chamber’s “Everyone is Welcome” campaign which was launched to counter the impact of the Indiana Religious Freedom Restoration Act, organizers of Pierogi Fest are inviting elected officials, local business leaders and individual residents to demonstrate the region’s civility by volunteering to serve as greeters to the more than 250,000 attendees of the festival.

The initiative is designed to support the civility initiative’s mission to raise the conscious level of everyone; it fulfills a longtime goal of festival organizers to make Pierogi Fest a truly friendly and inviting event.

We are requesting your presence and your support as we unveil this newest initiative, and we ask that you consider making a commitment of time on behalf of the organization you represent during the press conference.

Thank you for your consideration and your presence.

What: “Community Civility Counts/Pierogi Fest Welcome Initiative” News Conference

When: Time: 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 23

Location: Oliver and 119th Street, Downtown Whiting, Indiana

For more information contact:

The Community Civility Counts campaign, using the hashtag #CivilityCounts, is updated regularly at www.nwi.com/civilitycounts and on the Civility Counts Facebook page.

To confirm attendance, please contact Debbie Reilly at (219) 933-3329 or Debbie.reilly@nwi.com.