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Ralph Loos: Instead of a beauty pageant, solicit votes for Illinois DNR projects

Illinois DNR Director Natalie Phelps Finnie said when launching the "I Love My State Park" campaign that, “Your donations are crucial to helping us meet the increasing demands of improving and maintaining safe, clean, and enjoyable parks. Park lovers can donate today to help keep Illinois state parks thriving for generations to come.” (File photo by Bob Drieslein)

Illinois has gone ahead and gotten itself into the beauty pageant business, which is what the “I Love My State Park” campaign really sort of is.
According to DNR and the Illinois Conservation Foundation, every dollar donated by me and you to the campaign during the month of June equals one vote. All we have to do is go online, pick our favorite state park, cough up cash and our vote counts. Think of it as a small town pageant. Candidates raise money, asking every neighbor, pew dweller and Dairy Queen loiterer in town for a buck or three. The candidate who raises the most money is crowned queen!

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