Real People Created Real Change: Blowout Bonanza a Success

Northwest Springfield's largest Neighborhood Blowout went off without a hitch on the last day of September.

According to Event Organizer's, Rob Brantley and Derek White, this event was successful in every way imaginable.

"We were able in a very short amount of time to provide the catalyst for infrastructure improvements of the Grant Beach Park Baseball Field and bring the community together to support and enjoy a very large neighborhood event," said White.

A Very Large Neighborhood Event Indeed.

According to Jerri Irby, Treasurer of Real People for Real Change, more than $17,000.00 was raised in direct and in-kind contributions from area contributors.

"We handed out more than 1,000 bottles of water and 200 sodas were consumed by event attendees," Irby said. "The six hundred plus attendees consumed more than 200 pizzas as well."

"When Brantley approached me about handling the finances of this event I had no idea that he and White were intending on throwing the biggest community event Northwest Springfield had ever seen," she continued. "Somehow they were able to overcome some political resistance to the event and show that good people with good ideas and the will to see ideas through can make a huge impact on the community.

Not Politics as Usual.

One of the most noticeable aspects of this Blowout Bonanza was the fusion of politics, community building, and the opportunity for groups and organizations to share information and educate the public.

Twenty-three organizations were represented and had the opportunity to share information with the public concerning who and what they were about.

Most notable was "Political Alley" which included a voter registration booth and representatives from the Progressive Party of Missouri, Greene County Democrats, Greene County Republicans, Greene County Libertarians, and the Constitution Party.

"We should be thanking the organizers for allowing many people, representing varying causes and points of view, to set up booths at the event," said Keith Rodgers, Chairman of the Greene County Libertarian Party. "This was a worthy cause, and the kind of thing even a limited-government person can love - using the power of private donations and civic action to get things done"

Although considered a success by everyone involved, according to Brantley there is still much work to be done.

"We're only half way there," he said. "The next step is to put together the Neighborhood Softball League for Youth that is completely underwritten by local organizations and business."

"Many times Northwest Springfield Families don't participate in organized sport or activity because of prohibitive costs," Brantley finished. "We tackled this issue by ensuring every element of this event was free and we are going to knock the "prohibitive" financial issue out of the park entirely by developing a free youth softball league."

Event Booths

Hillcrest Highlanders Drum & Bugle Corps -- Myrl Billings Memorial Veterans Center -- Ozarks Technical Community College -- Wonders Of Wildlife -- St. Johns Clinic - Family Medicine West Kearney -- Springfield Greene County Health Department -- American Civil Liberties Union -- Childcare Resource & Referral -- We The People -- Families for Change -- Community Free Press -- Dickerson Park Zoo -- Grant Beach Neighborhood Association -- Southwest Missouri Home school Cheerleader Eagles -- Department of Peace -- Southwest Center for Independent Living -- Peace Network of the Ozarks -- Voter Registration Booth -- Constitution Party -- Greene County Libertarian Party -- Greene County Democrats -- Evangel University College Republicans

Event Sponsors

• Springfield-Greene County Parks and Recreation - Director of Parks Jodie Adams should be commended for recognizing a good thing and immediately acting on it to meet very tight deadlines.

• St. Johns Hospital - St. Johns, more than others, is committed to serving the communities interest. We need to be aware of this and visit their North Side Clinic so we can ensure that this facility remains viable for St. Johns and remains available for residents of the Northwest Side of Springfield.
  
• Plumbers & Pipe Fitters local 178 - Some in labor are able, from time-to-time, to step out of the partisan political box and work with others who may traditionally come from the other side of the aisle to benefit the community as a whole. Plumbers & Pipe Fitters represent the type of leadership the labor movement needs more of.

• Z106.7 and The Community Free Press - Responsible media outlets who gave up revenue from ad space to support this Citizen Initiated Community Oriented Event.

• Real People for Real Change - Southwest Missouri’s first truly Non-Partisan Political Action Committee (PAC). They are committed to promoting physical and tangible change through direct action.

• Grant Beach Neighborhood Association - GBNA is a well organized neighborhood group. Although they were Railroaded at the Broadway Crossing they have kept their collective chins up and continue to serve.

Event Contributors

Ronald Knigge, Murney & Associates -- Mountain Valley of the Ozarks -- Crown Distributing / RC Cola -- Holiday Lanes -- Paint Games Plus / Lazer Tag -- CiCi's Pizza -- Shuler Auto Sales & Service -- Chic-Fil-A -- Rodizio Brazilian Grill -- Lambert's Café -- Logan's Roadhouse -- Lone Star Steakhouse & Saloon -- Extra Innings -- Leigh's Place -- Golden House Chinese Food -- Wonders of Wildlife -- Missouri State Athletics -- Auto Majic / Jiffy Lube -- Buffalo Wild Wings -- Regis Salon at Battlefield Mall -- Play It Again Sports -- Kelley's Police & Tactical Supply -- Blockbuster Video -- Staples

Blowout Bash Slated for Sunday: Citizen Initiated Event to be largest Northwest Springfield has seen.

Grant Beach Park Baseball Field is getting a face lift in preparation for the Northwest Springfield Softball Blowout Bonanza slated for Sunday, September 30th.

According to event organizers Derek White and Rob Brantley, this Citizen Initiated Project is completely free to the public and they are prepared to feed 1,200 Springfield Residents.

The Blowout Bonanza is part two of a three phase project.

The first phase is in coordination with Springfield-Greene County Park Board and consists of refurbishment of the Grant Beach Baseball Field. Already completed is the addition of an outfield fence, safer access to the field, and a complete overhaul of the infield.

According to Director of Parks Jodie Adams, the infield is being resurfaced with a Calcined Clay Product which is a natural mineral in the form of Quartz Sand.

“This is the same type of material that many professional teams use to help with field absorption and drainage,” she said. “The ball field at Grant Beach Park is our pilot project and serves as a test of this high-speed drainage, low-maintenance material.”

The second phase of this three part citizen initiated exercise, in improvement of life for residents of Northwest Springfield, is the actual Blowout Bonanza to be held on the 30th.

The event opens at 1pm with the service of Free Pizza and will conclude around 5pm with the distribution of Door Prizes, Drawings, and Awards. Throughout the day, family fun events like Gunny Sack Races, Watermelon Seed Spitting Contests, Zany Obstacle Course Races, and a Community Softball Game will be ongoing.

The third and final phase of this three-part project will be the creation of a Northwest Springfield Neighborhood Softball League for Youth. The vision is to design a league composed of neighborhood teams that is completely underwritten by local area business and civic organizations.

Organizers Rob Brantley and Derek White started working towards this three phase citizen initiated package in late July.

“If two guys with a simple idea and the will to create positive change can set up this series of events… then when the Residents of Northwest Springfield band together on other issues… we can literally move mountains.”

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Real People for Real Change is proud to be a Sponsor of this Community Event