Blackburn President Mim Pride Named Christmas Market Honorary Chair For 2007

The Carlinville Christmas Market Foundation (CMF) announced that Miriam “Mim” Pride has accepted the organization’s invitation to become honorary chair of the 18th annual Carlinville Christmas Market festival.

“It did not take long for our board of directors to determine the perfect candidate,” said CMF President Lea Hudson in announcing the honor. “Mim has gained state and national recognition for her success in re-building Blackburn as one of the finest small private colleges in the country. But she is interested not only in the welfare of the Blackburn campus community but in the well-being of the much broader community that radiates out to Carlinville, Macoupin County, and the Central Illinois region around us. Mim is an energetic, charismatic leader in academics, business, and human relationships. She embodies the spirit of family, fun, and financial prosperity. There are no better qualifications than that.”

Mim Pride came to Blackburn in 1989 as Assistant to the President for Campus Life, also serving as Vice President of Administration. In 1991, she was elected president by the College’s board of trustees. Her success in guiding the school to new levels of excellence is based on a complete understanding of and commitment to partnerships.

“I am proud to be the honorary chairperson for this year’s Christmas Market,” Pride said. “Helping to create awareness of and promote the holiday festival is another chance for me personally and for Blackburn to give back to the community the kind of support it has shown us for more than 150 years. Blackburn has always been involved with the Market and in the betterment of our town, but this is a special opportunity for us to further strengthen our relationship.

“I know that Blackburn does not thrive in a vacuum, that we are made better by the presence of the extended community around us. Just as certainly, our community is made better by the fact that Blackburn is part of it and has contributed educational, cultural, and social leadership to this area. It is these partnerships and our continuing interaction that make each of us stronger than if we stood alone.”

The 18th annual Christmas Market will be the second under the auspices of the Carlinville Christmas Market Foundation, a non-profit organization. The Foundation was established in January 2006 to plan, organize, and produce the December festival. “Our goal is to improve the quality of the Market, provide holiday family fun for visitors from all over Illinois and the Midwest and, in the process, contribute a share of our proceeds to worthy local charities,” added Rich Minster, CMF spokesman. “Our honorary chairperson is more than a figurehead. Mim Pride will, with her presence, help create awareness and, with her ideas, help us to make wise decisions about the direction of this year’s festival.”

The Carlinville Christmas Market takes place on the first full weekend in December, which will be December 7, 8, and 9 this year. For information, visit www.CarlinvilleChristmasMarket.com.