‘I Believe in La Salle’ now a decade old

A desire to instill pride in La Salle led to a campaign that has lasted over a decade and continues to grow.

The “I Believe in La Salle” campaign started with a knock on Carrie Brown’s door.

“He’s so friendly and outgoing,” said Brown about La Salle Mayor Jeff Grove. When he was alderman prior to 2009, he would go out just to speak with residents in his ward.

Brown, a resident of La Salle’s 3rd Ward, remembers when Grove as alderman would update residents about the city’s happenings either in person or through a written update.

She recalled one night years ago when Grove stopped by her family’s home. They talked about the city, but also learned of his longtime desire and goal to someday become mayor.

“His pride in La Salle goes back a long time,” she said. “I was so impressed with that. I saw his energy, enthusiasm and the love of his city,” and she felt inspired to be part of that pride too.

Grove was elected mayor in 2009, and soon after, Brown called him with an idea and asked to meet with him and Donald Aleksy, then the city’s economic development director.

Brown, who now is the city’s clerk, pitched to them her idea for the “I Believe in La Salle” campaign.

Her inspiration came from the movie “Miracle on 34th Street.”

She suggested to Grove that the campaign could kick off with a full-page ad that shared with residents the things that he believes in.

The full-page advertisement ran in the NewsTribune on Nov. 20, 2009.

The advertisement announced the first “Miracle on First Street” event that would be held in December and encouraged residents to call La Salle resident Jerry Reynolds to pick up a complimentary “I Believe in La Salle” sign as a way to show their pride in their hometown.

“We had the signs ready to go with the hope that people would call and put them in their yard,” Brown said. “In my mind, I wanted to see every street lined with ‘I Believe in La Salle’ signs. Maybe we didn’t have that, but we did have a huge response for signs.”

Grove thinks the campaign has changed some people’s attitudes toward La Salle for the better.

When people see more developers come into town and more businesses are generated, see the city receive grants and see the La Salle Business Association’s work, “I think people are like, “Oh. They’re not just trying to do some fancy slogan. They’re really trying to live by this.’”

What does the future of La Salle look like?

“I think the future for us is to help our businesses be successful by keeping things new, by making people want to still come downtown,” Grove said.

He said he wants development to continue to the east, following the Wednesday groundbreaking ceremony for a microbrewery and coffee house at 801-805 First St.

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Jerry Reynolds can be seen in a NewsTribune photograph on Dec. 3, 2009, with Denise Sabotta placing an “I Believe in La Salle” sign in a La Salle resident’s yard near Second and Sterling streets. The article stated the campaign was intended to boost civic pride in a city with a public image that had fallen on hard times.

Now an alderman and longtime volunteer for the La Salle Promotional Advisory Committee, Reynolds recalls giving out hundreds of “I Believe in La Salle” signs over the years.

“Everyone wants to be part of a movement,” he said, adding that people would see someone putting up signs in neighbors’ yards and then want a sign as well.

The campaign took off like wildfire.

The Dec. 3, 2009, article stated that signs declaring, “I Believe in La Salle,” began appearing for the past two weeks in front yards throughout La Salle.

“We get calls all day long,” Reynolds said in the article then.

The movement continues to grow, one sign at a time.

Martin Cingle wants to request a sign for his business — Lil’ Mad Cafe Gourmet Shop, opened in December at his First Street location. “My wife and I moved out here about a year and a half ago,” he said. “We really enjoy the community and the people, and we want to help the downtown area grow.”

Do you believe in La Salle?
Come by City Hall 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Mondays-Fridays to pick up a free "I Believe in La Salle" sign or to purchase a "I believe in La Salle" T-shirt.  City Hall is at 745 Second St. (Second and Joliet streets).

Ali Braboy can be reached at (815) 220-6931 and abraboy@shawmedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @NT_LaSalle.