Promising that 2021's 70th Community Picnic will be "bigger and better" than anything ever before, the members of the Community Picnic Committee recently announced details of the Mini 2020 Community Picnic due to COVID-19.

But first, make sure to pre-order your chicken dinner for drive-up or delivery on Sunday, August 9. To pre-order, visit http://www.eventbrite.com/e/belleville-community-picnic-chicken-dinner-tickets-111240184386.

Details

Pre-order chicken dinner: $12.00 each, plus processing fee. Pre-order chicken dinner with delivery: $13.00 each, plus processing fee. Chicken dinner purchase day of event: $15.00 each.

Chicken dinner reminder: While you can purchase your dinner the day of, it is recommended that you pre-order.

Second, even though the 2020 Belleville Community Picnic is different this year, volunteers are still needed on Sunday, August 9. To volunteer, visit http://www.signupgenius.com/go/904044AA9AF2DA1F58-2020. You must be healthy and wear a mask and gloves.

"Without your help, we would not be able to host the Community Picnic," added Gary Salmela, Community Club Secretary.

For questions, please contact bellevillecommunityclub@gmail.com.

Third, sign up for the #BCP2020 Virtual Fun Run. Run/walk anywhere, anytime, and post your time. For more information and to order the annual community picnic t-shirt, visit http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A4BA8AA2CA1FA7-2020.

Besides the chicken dinner and virtual fun run, there will be a duck draw, raffle and fireworks.

"Community Club uses more than 75 percent of the funds that are raised during Community Picnic to support many community activities throughout the year," said Salmela. "This includes scholarships for graduating high school seniors, flowers on Main Street, Boy and Girl Scouts, Lake Belle View Restoration, Belleville Public Library Fund, Easter Egg Hunt in Library Park, Belleville Post Prom donations and door prizes, single event scholarships for Belleville students to attend camps, events, etc., chartering the local Boy Scout Troop, holiday lights and decorations around the village and the annual holiday lights and decorations contest, sponsor Santa's visit, and Belleville park improvements; and more."

Salmela added that 8,200 raffle tickets have been ordered.

"Our goal is to sell every ticket," said Salmela.

Another member of the Executive Committee and Director, Erin Nolden, said that the fireworks show will start at dusk.

"Fireworks will be launched from the berm in Community Park," said Nolden. "To keep everyone safe, Community Park will be closed and there won't be a ground show."

Emily Gehin Weber, who serves as Vice President, added that it was difficult to make the decision but in order to keep everyone safe this is the best alternative.

"The raffle will be announced on Facebook live on August 9," added Gehin Weber. "After August 9, the committee will focus on plans for a 70th anniversary celebration that attendees won't forget."

The Tradition Begins

In 1851, Belleville was founded. In 1951, the beautiful village celebrated its centennial.

"In 1952, Grandpa J.C. Francois and Doc Smith, a local veterinarian who lived where Meredith and Bob Smith live, decided to do a thank you picnic," explained Jackie Francois Gehin. "They provided most of the meal but I'm not sure what the meal consisted of. I do know that Grandma Clara made the coleslaw and would hardly get it done and Grandpa J.C. would come back and tell her she needed to make more. Thank heaven she had a garden to provide her with the vegetables she needed. I don't know if she ever actually got to the picnic."

After the first picnic, it continued to grow.

"They must had fun because they decided to keep doing it," laughed Francois Gehin. "Back in those days, you didn't need as many permits and you could just go with an idea."

There is no record of when the thank you picnic transitioned into a community fundraiser.

"I remember sitting on a lawn chair as we broke up dried pieces of bread that was donated by Bill's Bakery on Main Street for the stuffing," recalls Francois Gehin. "There was a regular crew, including Lyle Herfel, Bill Fahey, Dick Gibbons, Paul and Rich Francois who washed, peeled, and cut onions in my Grandma's side yard. We scrubbed the celery and then the crew cut that up. It was great fun when they finished a wash tub of onions and then they would dump the water and skins on the ground. We would squeal with delight as the earth worms would come out of the ground as fast as they could. By the time I was old enough to remember the picnic there were carnival rides and games of chance. There were baseball games all weekend long, the beer tent existed and there was a teen dance on the tennis courts."

Francois Gehin remembers many of the older folks going down early to park their cars by the tennis courts so they wouldn't miss anything.

"On Saturday night there were always water fights, where nearby communities would send over their crews and fire trucks to see who was superior in aiming the powerful hoses at the metal ball up on the wire," remembers Francois Gehin. "It was thrilling to see the ball go back and forth until one side got the better of it and sent it over the other teams heads."

On Sunday night there was a water ski show.

"The lake was reasonably deep back then and there were several families that owned boats and the children were really good skiers," added Francois Gehin. "Herfel, Wild, Duve, Schuler, Kuhl, Gillette, Beutel were just a few of the names who participated."

Sometimes there was tug of war.

"It was always great fun," said Francois Gehin.

Please note: Due to restrictions, no gathering will take place during #BCP2020 on Sunday, August 9, at Community Park other than those helping with the chicken dinner. Thank you.