The Robert R. McCormick House at Cantigny Park recently announced the Christmas tree decorated by Naperville Responds for Veterans and displayed at the Museum received the most votes in public balloting.
By winning the popular vote, the organization earned an additional $2,500 grant from the Robert R. McCormick Foundation for a total of $5,000. Six other participating local charities each received $2,500.
Naperville Responds for Veterans, founded in 2009, assists military veterans who are in need with home repairs, renovations and construction. The organization receives contributions of money, building materials and professional labor, and coordinates the process of repairing, building and donating homes.
“Community Trees” is an annual holiday attraction to celebrate Cantigny’s connections with the community and honor Colonel McCormick’s philanthropic legacy. Seven local charities were invited to participate because their missions involve issues or causes that were meaningful to Cantigny’s benefactor.
Museum visitors during the holiday season were encouraged to vote for their favorite tree and, if they wished, make a donation to one or more of the agencies. Cash contributions by visitors totaled $1,100, all of which goes to the participating charities. More than 2,000 votes were cast.
This was the eighth year for the Community Trees program. Participating organizations, in addition to Naperville Responds for Veterans, were:
- 360 Youth Services, Naperville – provides life-changing services to youth through substance abuse education, counseling and housing.
- Child’s Voice, Wood Dale – empowers children with hearing loss to be successful in all educational and social settings by optimizing their listening, speaking and academic skills.
- National Alliance on Mental Illness DuPage, Wheaton – improves the quality of life for individuals and families in DuPage County affected by mental illness.
- Wheaton League of Women Voters Education Fund, Wheaton – conducts voter service and citizen education activities, presenting unbiased nonpartisan information about elections, the voting process and issues.
- The Resiliency Institute, Naperville – builds resilient communities through permaculture education, food security projects and community engagement.
- World Relief DuPage/Aurora, Aurora and Wheaton – partners with local churches and community groups to offer a comprehensive range of services to refugees and immigrants living in DuPage and Kane Counties.
McCormick House is closed in January and will reopen on weekends in February for free guided tours. Hours in February are 10AM to 4PM on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. The Museum returns to its regular Tuesday through Sunday tour schedule in March.
More information about Cantigny, including park hours, directions and details about upcoming events is online at Cantigny.org.
