Sycamore's Cinco De Mayo
Sunday, May 2nd, 2010
-Jesus Romero,
Founder of Sycamore's Cinco De Mayo,
Owner of Taxco Restaurant Too
Sycamore’s Cinco de Mayo started on
Wednesday, May 5th, 1998, with one man’s dream to create an event to raise
money for charity. With the help of local businesses, Jesus Romero’s dream came
true.
In 1998, Jesus was chosen as Team Captain of
the Sycamore Jaycee’s Relay for Life Team, benefitting the American Cancer
Society. Puzzled on what the team could do to raise money he started
brainstorming with other businesses owners. During a conversation with the
owner of Cub and Spanks (who shares a back parking lot with Taxco), they came
up with the idea to have a fiesta on May 5th, Cinco de Mayo. The event would
feature food, drinks, and fun for the whole family, all while raising money for
charity.
With the help and support of the owners of
Cub and Spanks, the Sycamore Chamber of Commerce, the City of Sycamore, and the
participation of the community, they were able to raise $600 for Relay for Life
on a Wednesday, May 5th, 1998.
Back when the event started, Taxco Restaurant
was a small restaurant with the capacity for 60 people. With it being the first
year for the event, Jesus did not know what to expect. He concentrated on the
fiesta outside and didn’t take into consideration the restaurant inside, thus
they ran out of food! Having close to 500 people they were not prepared for the
turnout.
The next day Jesus was so surprised when he
heard people taking about the event; he was even on the front page of the local
newspaper. The support from the community helped him decide to make Cinco de
Mayo an annual event, benefitting local not-for-profit organizations.
During the same year Jesus met Joann Dillman,
Director of CASA. Joann and Jesus brainstormed ideas on how Taxco and CASA
could work together to make Cinco de Mayo even bigger and better. Through the
years
Jesus has worked with other organization too:
Kishwaukee College, Family Service Agency Big Brother Big Sister, ABC Preschool
and many more.
In 2005, Jesus partnered with Discover
Sycamore, a branch of the Sycamore Chamber. With the help of Kayte Hamel, the
former Discover Sycamore Director, Cinco de Mayo took a gigantic leap to the
next level, raising over $15,000, which enabled Cinco de Mayo to start an
endowment with the DeKalb County Community Foundations-Community Works project
Sycamore’s Cinco De Mayo has become a
community tradition and a major tourism event for Sycamore. Going into it’s
thirteenth year Cinco De Mayo has raised over $65,000 for local non profits.
This year, Sycamore’s Cinco de Mayo will work once again with Discover Sycamore
and Kishwaukee College to have a fabulous event on May 2nd, 2010
In 1998, the event was not what it is today,
but Jesus still carries on many of the original aspects of the event: food,
piñatas, Mariachi Band, raffles, and, of course, the money going to
not-for-profits!