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Tuesday, February 11, 2025

New ‘Gothic Arch’ plaque features generous donors at Naperville Woman’s Club

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Naperville Woman’s Club wanted a donor wall inside its Landmark Naperville building. At the same time they needed to respect the design elements of the “Old Stone Church,” which still has the original arched windows and doorways from 1899.

Clubwomen with backgrounds in interior design suggested that another Gothic arch would best unify the space, but everything commercially available was cost-prohibitive.

To solve the dilemma club members turned to three local artisans. First they opened discussions with DuPage Woodworkers. Bill Eck from that group created a classic arch out of oak to match the dimensions of the Old Stone Church side windows. The Woodworkers then used their skills to bend wood mouldings and provide a finished edge.

Next the Woman’s Club turned to B. Gunther & Company in Lisle, who provided name plates in custom sizes to represent various levels of monetary gifts. Fran Oleksy at B. Gunther guided them through an endless selection of fonts, materials and printing options.

To complete the project, NWC relied on Jim Albrecht, a Naperville contractor in the business of interior remodeling. Jim donated his time and expertise to stain the wood and adhere nameplates. The end result is a one-of-a-kind donor plaque that respects the Landmark building’s Gothic Revival style.

Naperville Woman’s Club would like to thank DuPage Woodworkers, B. Gunther & Company, Inc., Jim Albrecht Fine Interior Remodeling, and all the people who gave generous donations towards preserving the Landmark clubhouse, “The Old Stone Church,” at 14 S. Washington St.

Story and photo submitted by Georgiann Baldino, Building Chairperson, Naperville Woman’s Club

Background on NWC

The Naperville Woman’s Club is a philanthropic organization devoted to supporting the arts, education and community service. Established in 1897, it is one of the longest established organizations in Naperville.

The club’s headquarters are in the landmark building, The Old Stone Church, at 14 S. Washington Street in downtown Naperville. The NWC each year puts on the Juried Fine Art Fair at Naper Settlement, a fall fashion show, the Young Adult Art Contest, and several other fund-raising events.

New members and guests are welcome to attend NWC meetings. In addition, the clubhouse is available for rentals for private events.

For more information, visit www.napervillewomansclub.com or http://www.facebook.com/Napervillewomansclub or call (630) 420-9680.

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PN Editor
PN Editor
An editor is someone who prepares content for publishing. It entered English, the American Language, via French. Its modern sense for newspapers has been around since about 1800.
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