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Pillsbury Employee Reunion April 29th, 2023 – Photos

Saturday, April 29th, 2023 was a special day for former Pillsbury employees who attended our public tour. They all seemed to enjoy visiting and talking about their days at Pillsbury. It was wonderful to see them interact and tell their stories.

A huge thank you goes to local photographer Frank Bowen, who made the following images and gave them to us for use on our website.

Frank should get an award for the photo of the three retired guys! He really captured what the day was all about for the former Pillsbury employees. 34 former Pillsbury employees appear in the group photo.

Chris Richmond

(click to see larger photo)

A huge thank you goes to local photographer Frank Bowen, who made the following images and gave them to us for use on our website.
Frank bowen should get an award for the photo of the three retired guys!
34 former Pillsbury employees appear in the group photo.
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Thank you to all who went on our April 29 tour!

Friends,

Moving Pillsbury Forward had a great turnout for general public tours on Saturday, April 29. More than 80 people attended the 10:00 am tour. Another 100-plus attended the noon tour after the group Pillsbury Employee photo was taken from the front lawn. In total, MPF hosted over 400 people for tours in April. Tours will resume again in late summer. Dates will be announced in advance as they get scheduled.

We had 34 employees in attendance for the group photo on Saturday. Loved seeing them together again! It was a great day for a reunion photo. The photo attached was taken on a personal phone. Our photographer’s photo is published on our website!

Thank you all for making this special day a success.

In total, Moving Pillsbury Forward hosted over 400 people for tours in April 2023.

Chris / Polly / Tony
pillsburyproject.org

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Southwest corner of Pillsbury Plant Property cleared, metal recycled

Friends,

On April 7th the Propane Shed and fenced area at the southwest corner of the Administrative Building was demolished and cleared from the Pillsbury property. All of the metal was recycled. The area was cleared to enhance safety, open sightlines, and prepare for larger demolition activities.

Many small steps have taken the Pillsbury Project a long way. The attached photos are a visual example of yet another step. We invite you to drive by and take a look now. A dramatic improvement! Especially for the neighbors right across the street.

In April of 2022 MPF volunteers cleared brush and debris from the propane shed area.
This past week, the entire fence and shed were removed. Progress is taking place at the former Pillsbury site.
On April 7th the Propane Shed and fenced area at the southwest corner of the Administrative Building was demolished and cleared from the Pillsbury property.
The area was cleared to enhance safety, open sightlines, and prepare for larger demolition activities.

We appreciate the continued generous support of the community. Please, join us for scheduled public tours this Saturday (4/22) and next Saturday (4/29). Tour times are at 10:00 am and Noon. Parking is inside the main gate at 16th & Phillips. The ground level tours take about an hour.

Chris / Polly / Tony

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Clearing Up Pest Rumors AND Upcoming Employee Gathering!

Friends,

Rumors of bugs and rodents at Pillsbury are greatly exaggerated by door-to-door exterminator salesmen. We have heard this story several times in the past couple of weeks. Apparently part of the pitch is to scare people with tall tales of critters exiting Pillsbury as the buildings are demolished. They paint an ugly picture in hopes of landing a contract for services. Shameful!

Facts: There is very little evidence of bugs and rodents at the former Pillsbury site. The food sources for critters are long gone (spoiled grain and fly-dumped garbage). Extensive efforts have taken place this past year to remove all fly-dumped garbage at the site. Moving Pillsbury Forward volunteers, generous donors, City Public Works, and the Sangamon County Department of Public Health coordinated efforts to address this important Public Health issue from day one. Many dumpster loads of fly-dumped garbage were removed within the first few weeks of MPF ownership last spring. Today, the community is benefiting from a greatly improved chronic public health issue that had existed at the site for many years. This was the first major victory for the Pillsbury Project!

News

Site Progress: The propane shed and fenced area at the SW corner of the Administration building came down last week. The metal was recycled. Another step forward for the Pillsbury Project. MPF continues setting the stage for large-scale remediation and demolition activities later this year.

Upcoming Tour Dates & Times: Ground Level Tours at 10:00 am and Noon are scheduled this Saturday, April 22nd, and Saturday, April 29th. The walking tours last about 1 hour. An exhibit of collected tools and memorabilia will be on display. Donations are accepted but not required.

Volunteer Opportunities: MPF is looking to expand our volunteer base. If you are interested in volunteering for research, exhibits, oral history project, tour guide, and site maintenance work activities please contact us at:

Timecards: We have a good supply of new in-the-box Pillsbury timecards (2000) found in the plant office storeroom. MPF is making them available to former Pillsbury employees and their families. Just write in your favorite employee’s name. They are great scrapbook keepsakes!

Pillsbury Employee Gathering: In conjunction with our Noon tour on April 29th, we would like to invite former employees for a group photo. We anticipate taking the photo in the front yard (plant in background) at Noon. Pack a picnic lunch and enjoy the day! We hope to do several interviews for our oral history project as a part of the activities.

Thank you for being a part of the Pillsbury Project!

Chris / Polly / Tony

In April of 2022 MPF volunteers cleared brush and debris from the propane shed area.
This past week, the entire fence and shed were removed.  Progress is taking place at the former Pillsbury site.
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News: Doughboy Research, Reclaimed Lumber, Spring Tour Dates, Volunteer Opportunities, Timecards, Employee Gathering

Friends,

March has been another active month for the Pillsbury Project. We have news to share.

The Doughboy research continues. We are now looking carefully at the control panel with the “Bicep Doughboy”. We dusted off a manufacturing tag on the back and hope to know more soon. If there is anyone who has information on early doughboy images (i.e. photos in scrapbooks, old-timer stories, or a signed “Wilky” image) please contact us at:

We struck a deal with All American Reclaim to purchase a portion of the Warehouse #4 lumber this month. Two Semi-Trailer loads (20,000 board feet) of Pillsbury reclaimed lumber headed to their shop on March 22nd. It will be available soon to anyone with interest. AllAmericanReclaim.com/updates-and-new-products/

Spring Tour Dates: Saturday Ground Level Tours at 10:00 am and Noon are now scheduled for:

  • April 15th
  • April 22nd, and
  • April 29th.

The walking tours last about 1 hour. Donations are accepted but not required.

Download MPF News for 2023.03.31… (PDF)

Volunteer Opportunities: MPF is looking to expand our volunteer base. If you are interested in volunteering for research, exhibits, oral history project, tour guide, and site maintenance work activities please contact us at:

Timecards. We have a good supply of Pillsbury timecards (2000) found in the plant office storeroom. MPF is making them available to former Pillsbury employees and their families. They are great scrapbook keepsakes!

Pillsbury Employee Gathering: In conjunction with our Noon tour on April 29, 2023, we would like to invite former employees for a group photo. We anticipate taking the photo in the front yard (plant in background) at Noon. Pack a picnic lunch and enjoy the day! We hope to do several interviews for our oral history project as a part of the activities.

Thank you for being a part of the Pillsbury Project!

Chris / Polly / Tony

We have a good supply of Pillsbury timecards (2000) found in the plant office storeroom.
MPF is making them available to former Pillsbury employees and their families.
They are great scrapbook keepsakes!
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IllinoisTimes.com: Progress at Pillsbury site; Cleanup expected to take three to five years, cost $10-12 million

This article was originally published March 30, 2023 in the Illinois Times by Don Howard.

Moving Pillsbury Forward was formed in 2020 for the specific purpose of completing remediation of the [old Pillsbury flour mill] property to make the site more attractive for redevelopment and took control of the property March 24, 2022, exactly one year before the Citizens Club meeting.

“When we started, the situation looked hopeless, but all of us agreed that hopeless is not acceptable,” said [Chris Richmond, president of Moving Pillsbury Forward]. He said that about 12,000 people live within a one-mile radius of the facility, and cleanup of the site will have a broad, positive impact on the northeast Springfield neighborhood where it sits.

Richmond estimates that remediation will take three to five years and cost upwards of $12 million. During last month’s Springfield City Council budget hearings, $2 million was earmarked toward the project in the city’s FY 2024 budget. The organization was also awarded $2 million in congressionally directed funds in December 2022.

In spite of the fact that the project has yet to be fully funded, demolition work has already begun and work is progressing in close coordination with the Illinois and U.S. EPAs.

According to Richmond, Moving Pillsbury Forward is committed to increasing citizen involvement in plans for the eventual configuration of the property. The organization continues to hold informational meetings at public venues, and actively seeks volunteers who assist with mowing and cleaning up brush, small trees and litter at the site. Moving Pillsbury Forward also offers guided tours of the facility.

Polly Poskin, vice president of Moving Pillsbury Forward, said that while cleanup of the site involves people from all over the city and beyond, the work most greatly benefits one of the most impoverished neighborhoods in Springfield. In adjacent neighborhoods, “Twenty-five percent of the population does not have a high school diploma, and the median household income is about $25,000,” said Poskin. She sees this effort as directly confronting the problem that poor communities are more likely to suffer from a lack of clean water and air and a lack of safe housing. These conditions are often the direct result of industrial facilities’ frequent proximity to low-income neighborhoods. According to Poskin, poor residents are rarely at the table when decisions are made about how to deal with industrial sites and the pollutants they produce.

Read the full article at illinoistimes.com…

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City of Springfield’s FY24 budget includes $2,000,000 for the Pillsbury Project

Friends,

Moving Pillsbury Forward is pleased to announce that the City of Springfield’s new fiscal year budget ordinance passed late last night with $2,000,000 included for the Pillsbury Project. The City of Springfield fiscal year (FY24) begins March 1st.

Download the February 22, 2023 Update… (PDF)

We, the MPF Board of Directors, are grateful for your support. Three years ago when we asked community members to consider how they could help advance this project dozens of people responded. Many people gave great advice, actively volunteered, and donated resources to cover needed expenses. Many people gave encouragement and provided inspiration…the necessary fuel needed to carry on…moving this project forward has not been a cakewalk to say the least (the sheer number of lawyers and political folks involved was intimidating!).

We, as a whole community, are getting this needed project done! We moved beyond the hopelessness that existed, we took control of the situation, and we advanced the Pillsbury Project to a much better place. Today we celebrate another milestone advancement for the project. Tomorrow we continue on…with more fuel…and a heightened sense of pride in our community.

Thank you!

Chris Richmond, Polly Poskin, & Tony DelGiorno
Moving Pillsbury Forward
pillsburyproject.org

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Latest Pillsbury Project Update for February 2023!

Friends,

Moving Pillsbury Forward continues to advance the Pillsbury Project. We appreciate your continued support. Here is the latest update:

Moving Pillsbury Forward, NFP (MPF) formed in 2020 and began a 5-year community redevelopment plan for the 18-acre former Pillsbury Mills site in Springfield, IL

  • 2021 MPF built organizational capacity / positioned to acquire the property
  • 2022 MPF acquired the 18-acre site and initiated assessments and cleanup
  • 2023 MPF plans to begin remediation and a sequenced demolition of on-site structures
  • 2024 MPF plans to continue remediation and demolition activities
  • 2025 MPF plans to complete site preparations for redevelopment

2022 Accomplishments

  • Completed acquisition of the 18-acre property on (March 2022)
  • Completed a Phase II Environmental Site Assessment (August 2022)
  • Completed site cleanup and grounds preparation for demolition (October 2022)
  • Technical Assistance granted from USEPA (October 2022)
  • Completed a USEPA Cleanup grant application for $800K (November 2022)
  • Awarded $2M in Congressionally Directed Funds (Dec. 2022)
  • Calculated volunteer on-site efforts at $158,000 for 2022

2023 Accomplishments to-date

  • Demolished Unsafe Warehouses # 4 & #5 (January 2023)
  • Deconstructed the Forklift Shed & Chlorine Shed (February 2023)
  • Received full demolition analysis from USEPA contractor (January 2023)
  • Received redevelopment analysis from USEPA contractor (February 2023)

Next steps

  • Continue demolition of smaller site structures not needing remediation
  • Continue working with government partners to pursue full project financing
  • Continue community engagement (public meetings/site tours)
  • Continue documenting site (photographs/oral histories)

Download the February 21, 2023 Update… (PDF)

Moving Pillsbury Forward has developed a roadmap for success at the former Pillsbury Mills site. We know what needs to be done (remediation and demolition), we know the costs ($9.1M), and we know the community benefits (public safety, social, environmental, health, and economic) to be realized. We are prepared to take the project to completion with the appropriate level of public funding. We secured a $2,000,000 Congressionally Directed Request from Senator Durbin in late 2022. In 2023 we will continue working with our government partners to provide the remaining funding ($7.1M).

Thank you,

Chris Richmond
President, Moving Pillsbury Forward
pillsburyproject.org

p.s. Site tours, volunteer opportunities, and oral history projects will be announced in the coming weeks. Please, stay tuned for dates and details. We recognized the value in capturing the great memories associated with the former Pillsbury Mills site.

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Pillsbury Project: 2022 Volunteer Efforts & Thank You!

Friends/Volunteers,

Moving Pillsbury Forward is incredibly proud of the volunteer efforts and uplifting response the community has provided to the Pillsbury Project.  

These efforts include both on-site (physical efforts at the property) and off-site efforts (research, legal, consulting, communications, fundraising, grant writing, etc.)  

The off-site efforts are tough to measure.  What is the dollar value of good advice from volunteers? Services provided when asked? Encouragement?  Well, we know it has great value…just look at what we have all accomplished!  THANK YOU

The on-site efforts are not as tough to measure.  Attached is the write-up for the on-site efforts at the former Pillsbury property for 2022.  There are three primary areas volunteers focused on between March (when MPF took ownership) and the end of the year: Site clearing, mowing, and building cleanouts.  These efforts have standardized dollar amounts that can be calculated.  MPF volunteers worked on-site in providing a dollar value of $158,000 for the Pillsbury Project in 2022.  Again, THANK YOU

Download the 2022 Volunteer Efforts Write-up…

Yes…It is important to pause and reflect on what we have accomplished together…as a community.  We began the coordinated effort a little over 3 years ago. The community benefits (health, public safety, social & environmental justice, economic) of the Pillsbury Project are nearer to us than at any time in the past 20 years.  We have taken control of what was once thought to be hopeless.  We have moved it ahead…and will continue to do so.  The community benefit is worth the effort!

Chris Richmond
President, Moving Pillsbury Forward
pillsburyproject.org

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$2M Federal Funding Secured for Remediation and Demolition Assistance

Friends,

Moving Pillsbury Forward (MPF) is pleased to announce that our application for Congressionally Directed Spending through Senator Durbin’s Office has been secured in the FY23 Federal budget. Our application for $2,000,000 in remediation and demolition assistance was completed shortly after MPF took possession of the property in March of  2022. We are grateful to have support from all levels of government and every corner of our community. Together, we have successfully moved the property away from the unhealthy equilibrium it had rested on for too long.  We have momentum working for us.  We look forward to another productive year and continued progress. 

View the full article on Senator Dick Durbin’s website…

View the latest Pillsbury Project Overview (PDF)… 

Thank you,
Chris Richmond
President, Moving Pillsbury Forward
pillsburyproject.org