Articles by Sandy - Community
Community. That’s what I think of when this time of year comes around. When over 200,000 folks flock to Northfield for 5 days of cowboys, carnival rides, classic cars, craft fairs and of course corn dogs over a 5 day span of Defeat of Jesse James Days (DJJD). There’s of course a lot more going on than just those items, there’s literally something for everyone. As usual I will be away from the office for that time period as I serve as treasurer for the DJJD organization as well as helping out at a few events, specifically the Entertainment Center and the Parade line up. I’m sure I will see several of you during this time as well, since there are many Northfield United Methodist Church folks who volunteer during the weekend at various events (car show, raid re-enactment, Entertainment Center, rodeo, garbage pickup, parade banner carriers, bike ride, craft fair, concession stands, just to name a few) besides those just enjoying the festivities. I love and am very thankful for how the NUMC community has not only supported my involvement over the years but has embraced being a part of the DJJD community with volunteers at events. You truly understand and partake in being a part of this wonderful community celebration. There are many NUMC members who overlap with DJJD in many ways either through the church itself or through their various non-profit affiliations. Seeing so many of you at events warms my heart and makes me so proud to be a part of the NUMC community.
This year marks 41 years that I have been a volunteer on the DJJD committee. When people ask me why I continue to do it I have a very simple answer. Community. I love the DJJD celebration and what it represents. I have always been a history buff and while DJJD is about history it is also so much more. If you have never taken the tour of the Northfield Historical Society bank museum or watched a bank raid re-enactment I highly recommend it. The re-enactors are all volunteers who do an amazing job of telling the story of how a group of community members defeated the James-Younger gang, one of the most notorious gang of outlaws at the time, and triggered the largest manhunt in the history of the United States. There were many local heroes that day and it is the extraordinary courage of these ordinary community members that we honor each year, specifically Joseph Lee Heywood who was the acting cashier of the bank that day and gave his life defending it.
At the time of the raid the bank held deposits from St. Olaf College and Carleton College, as well as many businesses and prominent leaders in town. In 1876 there was no FDIC insurance that would have covered the bank’s losses. After the raid, both college presidents said their institutions would have closed down had the bank lost all its money that day. In the end the bank’s cash in the vault remained untouched, the robbers got away with only $26.70. An alert community saved a community bank thus saving the community of Northfield. Had the raid been successful, Northfield would quite possibly be a much different place today.
What a lot of people do not realize about DJJD, and what I am most proud of, is what a large financial impact the DJJD celebration has on numerous non-profit organizations in this community.
More than 40 area non-profits use the DJJD weekend to generate funds, raising more than $150,000-$200,000 each year through event sponsorships, sales of products, etc. Additionally, the DJJD committee pays out $40,000-$50,000 each year directly to non-profits that are contracted to help at events throughout the weekend. Groups at NUMC have been the recipient of some of these funds in the past. In the last 9 years, the DJJD committee has donated nearly $60,000 to the Northfield Hospital Breast Care Center and the Northfield Hospital Cancer Care and Infusion Center from funds raised during the celebration as part of the Give Cancer the Boot campaign held during DJJD weekend. The DJJD committee awards 5 scholarships each year totaling $8000 to the DJJD Ambassadors. All of these funds being raised at DJJD. After the tragedy in Burnsville this year and discovering that our local Fire Department and EMS do not receive any funding for protective vests the DJJD committee in conjunction with the Northfield VFW Auxiliary rallied community members and raised over $32,000 to purchase vests for each member of the Northfield Fire Department and the Northfield Hospital and Clinics EMS. This will be an ongoing fundraiser during DJJD this year so as to provide a continuing fund to keep our 1st Responders safe. This is what a community of people do and this is why the Defeat of Jesse James Days celebration is so much more than a 5 day festival. The funds raised for non-profits helps make our community a better place for so many people.
Whether it’s your church, neighbors, friends, work, or a community festival, our lives are so enhanced by being a part of a community. I hope you all get a chance to attend an event or grab a corndog on Bridge Square and soak in some “community” during Defeat of Jesse James Days. I know I will.
Sandy Vesledahl, Office Administrator