It’s been exciting to work with the Homer Soda Company for the past three years, and despite a bit of weather this year late in the day, the Homer Soda Festival was a huge success. The Homer Soda Festival revolves around hundreds and hundreds of unique, glass-bottled sodas by mom-and-pop bottlers. There were noticeably more people in attendance this year, and the booths were expanded down an additional street.

We were told there were roughly 100 volunteers this year, and they were busy, pouring $0.25 drinks of soda non-stop. We noticed pony rides this year, which we didn’t remember from previous years, and the food, kids games, carriage rides, and many, many unique vendors make it a one-of-a-kind family event.

I also had a chance while I was there to talk to Tony Comtois, mentor for CU at Home, a homeless ministry I’ve worked with for several years in Champaign. Just a great, down-to-earth individual who has been there, recovered, and now faithfully serves the homeless community in Champaign.