MOUNT GREENWOOD — The "Welcome to Mt. Greenwood" sign has been stolen or destroyed about 18 times in the past 44 years, according to Darlene Myers.
Myers, the executive director of the Mount Greenwood Chamber of Commerce, said the missing, wooden signs often showed up at fraternity houses and garages on the Southwest Side. But the latest disappearance was a real doozie, and an effort to resurrect the sign is nearly complete.
To prevent thieves from swiping the welcome sign, the chamber spent $4,000 on a concrete version on the northwest corner of 111th Street and Whipple Street, said Myers, who also owns Baron's Shoes at 3101 W. 111th St. in Mount Greenwood.
Still, the "indestructible" sign couldn't hold up against four vandals who decided to test its durability at 2:30 a.m. one morning in April 2013, Myers said.
Howard Ludwig says the community is confident the newest sign will last:
"They sat there and they rocked it and rocked it and rocked it," Myers said.
Eventually the sign fell and broke in half. The young adults responsible for the damage were captured by video surveillance courtesy of the nearby PrivateBank branch at 3052 West 111th St. in Mount Greenwood.
But the culprits were never apprehended, and only the footing for the welcome sign remains, Myers said.
Undeterred, the chamber set out to raise money for a new sign with a series of spaghetti dinners. The third — and hopefully final — such fundraiser is scheduled from 2-6 p.m. on Saturday at the Mount Greenwood Community Church, 3509 W. 111th St.
This time, the chamber is hoping to raise $5,000 for a new concrete sign that will be encased in brick. The design is intended to match a similar Mount Greenwood sign in the heart of the shopping district at 111th Street and Kedzie Avenue.
In addition to the spaghetti dinners, students at the George F. Cassell Fine Arts School in Mount Greenwood also donated $500 to the chamber's effort. The money was raised by students who gave a modest donation in exchange for the privilege of being able to dress out of their required school uniform one day.
"I nearly fell off my chair when I heard this," Myers said of the students' generosity.
The dinners themselves are also a community effort. The meat is donated by S&T Provisions at 3804 W. 111th St. The Mount Greenwood Residents Association donates the spaghetti and bread. Chicago Creampuffs & Cakes at 2734 W. 111th St. donates sweets for the accompanying the bake sale, and Myers prepares all the food.
Myers has a rough sketch of the new sign and has lined up a local firefighter to do the brickwork. She expects the new "Welcome to Mt. Greenwood" sign to be erected this summer.
"Hopefully, this one won't be destroyed," she said.
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