Festival named after Dan Green, devoted member of Fontana community
Fontana’s Reid Park was the place to be July 8 for Dan Green’s Pig in the Park festival. It was the 10th Annual Pig in the Park event and featured a variety of family-friendly activities, all to support local causes.
The festival is named for Dan Green, who was devoted member of the community. He was a Fontana Park Commissioner, a Fontana volunteer firefighter, a contractor for the Illinois Department of Transportation and a real estate agent at Keefe Real Estate.
“We are so grateful to everyone who donates, volunteers, attends and supports our mission,” Mary Kriete-Green said. “They are all changing the world for the better.”
Food available for purchase at the event included BBQ pork sandwiches, hot dogs, corn, chips, cookies and non-alcoholic drinks.
Activities for kids – offered via a wristband price of $10 – included bounce houses, water tag games, face painting, a petting zoo, pony rides and more.
Dan Green’s Touch a Life, Heal a Heart Foundation supports three primary causes:
- Children’s Oncology Services’ “Kids with Cancer” One Step Programs that includes a summer Camp in Lake Geneva;
- Open Arms Free Clinic to serve the health and wellness needs of the uninsured, low income, and under-served residents of Walworth County, and;
- Helping local Veterans in need, in the service of the homeless, homebound and hospitalized Armed Forces men and women.
Dan Green, who died in 2011, is described on the Foundation’s website as a man who “had the ability to affect everyone he met in a positive way, leaving his imprint on his or her life… loving, selfless, caring, thoughtful, humble, dedicated and hard working. He would do anything for anyone and he always put himself last.”
In 2012, Dan’s wife, Mary and a group of close friends started the Foundation with a mission to help those in need in Walworth County through several events including: Pig in the Park, The Angel Walk, Uncle D’s Christmas Party and Standing Tall for Veteran’s.
For more information, or to volunteer at future events or make a donation to the non-for-profit 501(c)(3) foundation, visit dangreenstouchalifehealaheart.org or call (815) 354-4287.
