Commentary by Gary Kopycinski
Editor & Publisher
Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- Speaking with some friends this evening, I was reminded that we all live in the “dash.” Kurt Vonnegut Jr. would have said I opened my “peephole” in 1963. I exist now after 1963 and before some other number. This is my Life in the Dash.
Gary W. Kopycinski
1963–???
Park Forest celebrates 75 Years in the Dash this year.
“I have come down with life. I was a wisp of undifferentiated nothingness, and then a little peephole opened quite suddenly. Light and sound poured in. Voices began to describe me and my surroundings. Nothing they said could be appealed.”
― Kurt Vonnegut, Deadeye Dick
I learned tonight that the en-dash is proper between dates. The en-dash is so-named because it is roughly the width of the letter “N.” Alt+0150 on Windows and Opt-Shift-(hyphen) on OS X. We all live in the en-dash.1 That is regardless of when our peepholes opened, when “light and sound poured in.”
But we get to enjoy Life in the Dash. And it is grande.
And so it goes.
Park Forest Celebrates 75 Years of Life in the Dash
Village of Park Forest
Feb. 1, 1949–???
Park Forest lives in the en-dash, too. The Village of Park Forest’s incorporation date was February 1, 1949. The village celebrates its first 75 years this year: 1949–2024. It’s been over 75 years since the famed “tent meeting.” Last November, the Park Forest Historical Society commemorated that moment of the village’s inception. The town’s incorporation made it official.
A Year to Celebrate Park Forest’s 75 Years in the Dash
Kevin Adams, the director of the Recreation, Parks, and Community Health Department, serves on an Ad Hoc Anniversary Committee led by Mayor Joseph Woods.
In a statement, Adams said the goal is to unite the community and educate residents about the Village.
“The Village will be showcased in a variety of ways that are informative, nostalgic, entertaining, and forward-thinking as part of the 75th anniversary celebrations, which the Ad Hoc Anniversary Committee is planning,” Adams said.
Adams continued, “Throughout the year, the Village will celebrate the 75th anniversary with beloved events like the Pioneers Brunch, Main Street Nights, and the 4th of July. Additionally, major holidays like Memorial Day and Veterans Day will have unique programming linked to the milestone.”
The festivities began with a cake cutting in Freedom Hall on February 1. These are pictures from that event. Find them and more on the Village of Park Forest’s Flickr account.
We will keep you posted on more events celebrating Park Forest’s 75 Years of “Life in the Dash.” Keep your peepholes focused on eNews Park Forest. And continue to celebrate every day in the “Dash.”
1. There is also an em-dash, roughly the width of a capital “M.” Here’s when to use each and when to use a hyphen: “Hyphen vs. Dash – – — What’s the Difference?“
