Labor Day, & Your First Full Week of Western Springs Patch

You probably have today off. Enjoy it. (In fact, we have one or two suggestions for how.)

But I definitely also suggest you take at least a few moments of break from your Labor Day fun to remember just why you get a break from your own labor, whatever it may be.

Labor Day celebrates the rich tradition of the American worker, that spirit of strength, duty and perseverance which is emblematic of the greatest aspects of our nation's persona. It was established as a federal holiday approximately 125 years ago—just about the same time when a couple dozen Quakers were voting to incorporate a little village of 300 into the State of Illinois.

Today, that village, Western Springs, continues to embody all the virtues that Labor Day represents. Though we are not a town noted for commerce, the labor done by the people of this village is ever-apparent—from the never-ending programs and village improvements engineered by our hard-working officials, to the growing number of downtown businesses run by hard-working residents, to the town's regular academic success enjoyed by hard-working students under the tutelage of hard-working teachers.

For a moment, then, I'd like you to think of two things this Labor Day: First, over an average day, of how many people's work do you personally benefit? And second, how many people rely on your work for their own daily routine?

It may be—it probably is, when traced back or forward far enough—thousands. Thousands of workers coming together for the benefit of thousands, millions for millions, all to make a village, state, country and world work. So take some time today to appreciate not just the work of others, but your own work as well. You, too, are also an American laborer—or, if you're a student, you're working hard to become one!

We at Western Springs Patch have been working hard as well, and the site you see before you is the result. The community has been fantastic in receiving us; our special thanks goes out to all trustees, government officials, business owners and ordinary citizens who have introduced us to the village and its operations.

This week, our first full one serving the community, and hopefully the first of many, we'll have brand-new material each day, including columns on Western Springs sports, arts/recreation, education, business and more, news about several of the major village projects going on at the moment, continuing LTHS sports coverage and a bunch of extras as well. In fact, that's what we plan to bring you every week!

And most importantly of all, we want to be hearing from you, upstanding citizens of Western Springs. We try to be everywhere, but we're not perfect—so if you know of any event that we should be at, or any person with a story that should be out there for the whole community to enjoy, or just a question that you've always wanted someone to look into about the village, please share it with us! You can reach me at darren@patch.com, and I, or a member of my terrific team of writers, will likely be on it right away.

Enjoy your Labor Day, and please keep reading and participating in Western Springs Patch!

(For more on the full history of Labor Day, check out the Department of Labor website or this excellent article from Slate.)