Putting out flyers
05/10/2009 2:13 PM
I spent a wonderful morning Saturday with my friend and neighbor and fellow South Loop Neighbors board member Helen Kaplow, putting flyers around the neighborhood for upcoming events: a talk May 13 at Grace Place by SLN president Dennis McClendon on the legacy of Burnham’s Chicago Plan of 1909; and a South Loop Neighbors Writer’s Night on May 20 at Jazz Showcase.
Helen and I are like two schoolgirls on a secret mission. How can we get inside all the buildings to put the flyers out? We sneak in behind people. We ring up our friends--if any--who live in the building to see if they will buzz us in. We ring up strangers and tell them the truth, that we are from the neighborhood organization and want to put some flyers in their lobby. Or we ring the maintenance staff and tell them the same thing.
Sometimes people try to close the door in our faces when we try to get in. I guess we look like burglars. Sometimes our friends think we are there for a visit and most will say before we tell them what our mission is that they aren’t dressed yet--or they are just on their way out.
Helen and I--straight from our coffee and rolls at Mediterra--are always filled with vim and vigor and we laugh at all the goofiness we get into on Dearborn and Plymouth and State. Most of the businesses--from hair salons to banks to restaurants--are always glad to have us come in and put our flyers out. And this gives us great satisfaction.
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By Helen from South Loop
Posted: 06/22/2009 9:57 AM
Eegads. I just Googled you, Terry, and now I remember. No need to reply. (In fact, consider this an official request for No Contact.) Let's leave this particular past in the past. I hope you're well. Now forget my name. :-/
By Helen from South Loop
Posted: 06/22/2009 8:36 AM
Okay, I'll bite. I did live in Seattle years ago, so I assume you knew me back then. But your name does not ring a bell with me. What was our connection?
By Terry Parkhurst from Seattle
Posted: 06/22/2009 1:57 AM
Yep, Helen has always had the gift of getting in doors no one else could.
By Deborah McCoy from Logan Square Chicago
Posted: 05/11/2009 7:48 AM
Congratulations. You and Helen have the most important quality for door-knocking -- a sense of humor, and each other. Keep up the good work.